//------------------------------// // Ch.1 - No Stupid Sticks Allowed // Story: The Witching Hour - Looking Forward to the Past // by Chaotic Ink //------------------------------// Midnight Storm, Captain of the Bearer Guard, a branch of the royal guard meant to protect the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, paced at the head of a procession of new recruits, examining each one with a critical eye. None of them looked directly back at her, except maybe one or two of the really fresh ones in the back, and they gulped when one of only three known kirins in all of Equestria bored her draconic eyes into theirs. When her exploits and the actions of the bearer guard as a whole had come to light after the wedding of Princess Cadance and Captain Shining Armor, it had been inevitable that there would be a rush to join the bearer guard. Midnight took it as such and was even glad to see the ranks of her guard starting to swell. On the other hoof, it still felt like she hadn’t fully recovered from the wedding/invasion/wedding-again and what she sorely wanted at that point was to be back home in Ponyville, curled up by the fire with her marefriend Sapphire Breeze and adopted daughter Squeaky Wings tucked under her wings. She had to forcefully keep herself from glancing longingly in the direction of home. Standing in formation behind her were First Lieutenant Windrunner, Corporal Scarlet Claw, and Private Long Spine, there to help her go over the new blood. Lieutenant Hazelnut was in charge in Ponyville while the captain and first lieutenant were in Canterlot for this crucial business. A little ways off to the side stood a group of five black and honey colored changelings, four of whom were in armor of their own. The fifth was obviously female, as tall as Midnight with a honey-colored mane that was topped with a small crown, and doing her best to look as regal and aloof as a queen was expected to look. Midnight and Windrunner could easily see how nervous their housemate really was. “Thank you all for applying for the bearer guard,” Midnight announced once she’d gotten a good look at them all. There were sixteen applicants from the solar guard, nine from the lunar guard (not thestrals but they were used to working at night), five from Celestia’s secret service/maid staff, and ten new recruits, fresh from signing their recruitment papers; a total of forty applicants in all. “I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you over the next couple of weeks. To start off with, those of you who are here after requesting a transfer from another guard branch, you will be retaining your rank for the purpose of strengthening the chain of command.” This wouldn’t shake things up too much as the two highest ranking transfers were sergeants with another couple of corporals and the rest being privates. Having operated so long with so few members, Midnight didn’t want her current sergeants and lieutenants to be overwhelmed by a flood of new trainees or having their orders questioned or countered by those who felt they were owed seniority. This was a good mix. “Keep in mind, however, that this is a onetime deal. Your friends who might be on the fence about jumping over with you won’t get the same deal. They’ll be brought down a rank just as if they were switching to the other guards after this. Furthermore, we’ve established a training ground for the fresher blood we have here today,” a round of snickering went up among the already established guards, “and all of you are going to attend it.” The snickering immediately stopped. “This is not meant to be an insult or questioning your abilities but a stack of papers can only tell me so much. I expect all of you to show the recruits how a guard should perform.” The older guards’ smiles came back a little at this. “Any questions before we move out?” Midnight asked. One of the privates from the solar guard raised a hoof. “Yes, Private… Dapper?” Midnight said, after looking at his name tag. “Ma’am, will we be assigned to a particular bearer?” he asked. “I hear the yellow one used to be a model!” One of Dapper’s fellow solar guards whispered excitedly. Catching this, Midnight snorted and snapped her wings out loudly. “A good question, private. At the moment there is no such segmenting of the guard due to our lack of numbers. However, this may change in the future. If that happens, note that ANY requests for a particular posting will not only be dismissed, but HEAVILY frowned upon.” To her satisfaction many of the younger stallions looked abashed. “Any other questions?” One of the mares from the secret service raised a hoof. “Ma’am, why are these… changelings here?” Midnight had expected the question to come up. It was no mistake why Honeycomb and her four guards were there with them; the kirin had set the situation up specifically. She and Honeycomb, with the princesses’ blessings, had come up with a sort of “exchange program” to help her guard come up to snuff. As Honey was a queen, she needed guards, no matter how peaceful the new hive wanted to be. As only one of the old guards from her mother’s hive had survived and the guards from Chrysalis’ hive thought her a traitor, three of the civilian changelings that had pledged their loyalty to her had stepped up. As they had no idea how to fight, part of the reason why the Bearer Guard and the bearers themselves had been able to mow through so many during the invasion, Midnight had offered to train the new guards, replacing them with two of her own for a week at a time. In exchange for this, each changeling owed the bearer guard an equivalent amount of time of service. So, if a changeling spent, say, a total of one month in training with the guard, that changeling then owed the guard one month of service to be called on whenever the guard needed them. It was a way to keep a small hoof-full of magic users, not to mention their own hoof-full of spies, on call without actually having them in the guard until a significant amount of unicorns could be brought in and/or trained. Despite the princess’s decree at the wedding, there were still some vocal nobles who wanted all known changelings to be banished, imprisoned, or worse and while Midnight could give a flying feather about what the nobles wanted, Celestia had convinced her it would be far less of a headache in the long run if the changelings were kept officially out of the guard for now. There was also some legal talk about how they were both citizens and their own nation that gave Midnight a headache the first time she tried to wrap her brain around it. With them moving to Ponyville and under Midnight’s direct supervision, the cries had died down considerably but there was still resentment for what happened. That was why Midnight had chosen to meet her new guards here rather than in Ponyville. There was one more thing she needed to know before signing off on this new crop of guards. “Let’s cut to the chase, shall we?” Midnight said, standing straight and fanning her wings out. “You want to know if you’ll be serving with changelings in the bearer guard, correct?” “Yes, ma’am,” the mare said. “Will that be a problem?” Midnight asked with a raised eyebrow. “They attacked us!” one of the other secret service mares spat, pointing a hoof at them. She looked quite angry and Midnight recognized her as one of the ponies they rescued from the crystal caverns below the city. “You know they captured many of us and drained us for weeks! They should all be locked up or banished! They’re dangerous to ponies!” “And what about dragons?” Midnight asked calmly. “Or pony-dragon hybrids? Griffons? Hippogriffs? I think there are a few ponies down in the dungeons for violent crimes against other ponies. At what point do we differentiate between the individual and the group?” She stared them all down. “I’m going to make this as plain as possible: the bearer guard does not care what species you are, what tribe you are from, where you grew up, who you know, what your gender is, or what you think of others. Here, we are all the same and discrimination for any reason will not be tolerated! If you feel that you cannot put aside any issues you have with working with another guard for any of those reasons, then I suggest that you step out of line now so your name may be struck from the list and you can report back to your old unit!” After a moment of hesitation, six solar guards, three secret service mares, and four from the lunar guard stepped out of line to the side. “This only applies to guards looking to transfer,” Midnight snapped as five of the recruits made to leave as well. “You new recruits have signed up with the bearer guard, so you will serve with the bearer guard. If you choose to do so, you can wash out during training, however I will have to put in why you did so and I guarantee the next recruiter you meet will not be pleased with what I have to write about you.” Looking behind her, Midnight nodded to Windrunner and the buffalo-raised pegasus nodded in return and went over to the new line to strike the names from their list. She’d expected as much but it still bothered her that so many, over a quarter, including one of the sergeants, had left because of something as trivial as a difference of species. Perhaps everything was still fresh and raw after the invasion and this hadn’t been the best time but the guard needed to be filled with those who could see both the forest and the trees. “Now that that’s settled, are there any more questions?” Silence. “No? Then get your things together and get ready to move out, our train leaves in an hour!” “Ma’am, yes ma’am!” the remaining guards chorused, falling out to gather their belongings. “Corporal?” Midnight said. “Ma’am?” the hippogriff answered, stepping forward. “Take over for the first lieutenant so she can organize everyone here.” “Yes ma’am,” she said with a nod, moving over to Windrunner’s side. “Private, please assist the first lieutenant,” Midnight said to the dragon, whose features had been passed down to the second known kirin in Equestria. She’d caught Honey’s eye and knew the changeling wanted to talk. “Yes, ma’am,” Long Spine said, also seeing that the two mares wanted to speak in private. Once he was gone Honey came up to her. “You didn’t have to do that,” she said, letting the thin venire of queenly aloofness drop to show the worry underneath. “I did,” Midnight said, “I don’t want their kind in my ranks.” She wanted to draw Honey into a wing-hug but this wasn’t the privacy of their home. Honey was family as much as Windrunner was and Midnight would just as soon comfort her as she would Sapphire or Squeaks. Here, though, she had to stay the professional captain. “I remember how ponies looked at me when I was traveling, when they found out what I was. How can I command guards who look at me or one of my officers with fear and disgust? Like how Arbor Knot and Bimini Twist used to.” The changeling flinched at the mention of those two particular stallions but pressed on. “It’s still fresh for them and they wouldn’t join the guard if they thought like that, knowing you’re the captain in charge. You’re a hero to them.” Midnight snorted and rolled her eyes. “I’m actually normal now, go figure. No, in that case they’re only here out of hero worship or because they think being in the bearer guard is the fastest way to fame and glory. That’s not what we’re about and I refuse to deal with such manure if I can help it. Those trainees will be a hoof-full but they’ll shape up whether they like it or not.” “Not everyone has the same view of the world that you do,” Honey reminded her. “Well too bad. My guard, my vision, my rules. If doing my job right means excluding the thick-minded, so be it,” Midnight said with a snort and air of finality. Clearly the kirin meant to be stubborn about this. Honey rolled her eyes but there was a small smile on her face. “I just wish you wouldn’t put a target on your back for my sake.” Again, Midnight snorted, but this time a bit of worry leaked into her voice. “I’ve got bigger, more flammable concerns than a few ponies not liking my choices in company.” Honey nodded in sympathy. A week after the wedding, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had arrived in Ponyville with an absolutely ENORMOUS dragon in tow. The normally stoic kirin had looked up at the dragon like a small foal who thought they’d done something wrong. After introducing herself as Shoal, a dragon Midnight had met when she’d left to follow the dragon migration, she’d asked Midnight if it was true that she was the captain of a branch of the royal guard. When Midnight had confirmed she was, Shoal announced that she would join the bearer guard as well, to the shock of all, including the princesses. “I have nothing to do now that the migration is over,” the dragon explained as they all looked up at her with a universal look of shock, mouths hanging wide open, “and I’ve never met a kirin before Midnight and I’d like to get to know her and her kind better. If she’s part of a royal guard, then joining it would make it easier. Besides, I have some experience in guarding things.” She’d then given Midnight a sly wink. Midnight had opened and closed her mouth like a fish for a solid minute before sheepishly accepting Shoal’s proposal. What else could she do; deny a dragon bigger than her wyvern form that could easily flatten half the town before possibly being stopped? Celestia and Luna also stopped gapping like a couple of large-mouth bass and asked if Midnight was really okay with letting Shoal join the guard. Midnight had agreed and as Shoal excused herself to find a spot in the Everfree Forest to set up her new home, she told them that she’d list Shoal as a specialist. Making the dragon a private would be laughable as Midnight would like to see any of the current guard try and give her an order and making her any other rank didn’t feel right. On a level, Midnight knew that Shoal wasn’t being threatening or bullying her way around, though brazenly announcing that she would now be part of the guard did smack of that. However, Midnight still couldn’t help but be intimidated and part of that was because she didn’t know how she’d handle Shoal if the dragon ever truly got angry. She was confident she herself could take down any of the others in a one-on-one fight if need be but the entire guard combined would probably only annoy the dragon further in the same situation. In the end, Midnight could only hope that time and familiarity would make any kind of necessary disciplinary actions easier to hoof out or not be needed at all. Honey was about to try and dispel the dark cloud she could see hanging over her friend when a pegasus solar guard swooped down and landed next to them. “Captain Storm, I have an urgent message from the Princesses!” He announced loudly, saluting with a wing. Startled out of her musing about angry roaring and towns on fire, Midnight quickly composed herself before addressing the guard. “Go ahead, corporal; what is it?” she asked, trying to see if he was carrying a letter of some kind. “The Princesses request that you come to the throne room as soon as possible. They express their apologies as they understand you are accepting your new recruits today,” his gaze strayed over the two separate groups that had been made, “however, something very important has arisen and they need to speak with you right away!” Midnight grunted and looked over at Windrunner, who was looking back at her. “First Lieutenant, keep them ready to go, but don’t let them leave the castle grounds just yet. Something’s come up and we might need them here.” “Understood, ma’am,” Windrunner said. “Will you be fine staying with Windrunner?” Midnight asked, turning back to Honey. “Of course,” Honey assured her, then her look became impish, “I also have Mantis, Verpine, Buzz, and Trill with me but if you don’t think that’s enough…” Midnight rolled her eyes but a smile finally came back to her face. “Fine, fine, point taken; I’m just a little protective after, well, that,” she motioned to the dismissed guards. Honey chuckled but before she could tell the kirin to get going, she saw a unicorn racing up to them. Midnight turned at the confused look on Honey’s face and also saw the dark grey mare with a dark purple mane and tail running up to them. Seeing their attention on her, the pony came to a skidding halt right in front of them. “Please, please, please tell me I’m not too late!” she panted, her dark green eyes pleading. “I accidently broke my alarm clock and-!” “You’re here to join the bearer guard?” Midnight interrupted. She could see the messenger was a bit fidgety. Either he was a real stickler or the urgency had been downplayed so as not to make anyone panic. “Yes, ma’am!” the unicorn said, sitting straighter and saluting, “Umbra Shroud, reporting for duty!” “First of all, Umbra Shroud, you’ve pretty much missed my entire introduction, which I will not be repeating and reflects poorly on your time management skills” Midnight said sternly, making the unicorn wilt. “That said, do you have any issues working alongside changelings, dragon, hippogriffs, or any other non-pony species that may happen to be accepted into the guard?” Umbra blinked, then looked over Spine, Scarlet, and finally rested her eyes on the five changelings. “Well!?” Midnight snapped, making Umbra jump. “N-No ma’am, no problem what so ever!” the unicorn quickly assured her. “You took your time answering and you don’t sound so sure,” Midnight said, sounding unconvinced and glaring the unicorn down. “I have no problem working with any creature ma’am, be they changeling, hippogriff, dragon, or anything else, ma’am!” the unicorn quickly said, “I’ve just never seen a hippogriff or dragon in the flesh before and I didn’t expect to see changeling here, ma’am!” “Learn to expect the unexpected, trainee! You have your enlistment papers?” “Yes ma’am, they’re right-.” Umbra began reaching to open her saddle bags but quickly found her world spinning as Midnight grabbed her saddle bag strap with a wing claw and practically threw her towards Windrunner. “Fresh blood, first lieutenant! Make sure she gets in order with the rest of them!” She yelled. Not waiting to see if the unicorn kept her hooves, Midnight turned back to the messenger and opened her wings. “Maybe practice the drill sergeant routine on the way?” Honey suggested, looking both disapproving and amused. Midnight winked and sent a bit of love at Honey, who quickly stored it away. A few days after the wedding, she and Squeaks had managed to get Honey to tell them how to send her love by choice. While both wanted to know as a way of showing Honey they were more than willing to accept her as what she was, Squeaks also wanted to know so that she could give Honey as much love as possible so that “you can kick as much flank as mom next time!” Midnight’s other reason was for times like now, when she couldn’t openly show any kind of warm emotion towards the changeling. With a quick hop and a flap, she was airborne and following the solar guard towards the castle. “She doesn’t like me,” Umbra said fatalistically as she opened her bags. “Bad timing,” Windrunner said. “You said you have your papers?” “Yes ma’am, I have them here… somewhere…” the unicorn continued to dig, brushing aside a few large mason jars. “Just graduated from Celestia’s school and was still cleaning out my room… here!” Triumphantly, she pulled out the papers and held them up before hoofing them over to Windrunner. “Stand with the others over there,” Windrunner said after skimming the papers over. “I suspect we’ll be moving quickly once the captain gets back, so be ready to move.” ----------------------------- “No one is going anywhere,” Midnight proclaimed loudly, making Twilight skid to a halt, the royal sisters’ eyes to widen, and the four solar guards in the throne room to give her a quick, surprised look. To this, Midnight simply kept her gaze steady and sat down, doing her best to look as unmovable as a mountain. “Midnight, didn’t you just hear Princess Celestia? We have to get to the Crystal Empire as soon as possible!” Twilight urged, not understanding how somepony could disregard the princess’s orders like that. “I heard her,” Midnight said evenly. “She said that we’re to go north to a place we’ve never been to and have been told only the littlest bit about, to solve a problem that has barely been defined, and even though all the bearers are supposed to go; only you can help solve the problem, and all this is some kind of test. THAT is what I heard. If that’s all the information and help she’s going to give us, then you’re not going.” “You can’t just stop me from going!” Twilight protested. “Princess Celestia, she can’t-!” “I am captain of the bearer guard!” Midnight snapped, her voice rising to project throughout the throne room to drown out any argument. “My duty is to keep the bearers of the Elements, that’s you and your friends, Twilight, safe at all times and this barely explained plan puts you all in unnecessary danger, therefore I will not approve of you or any of the others going.” Twilight made to argue further, but Celestia raised a wing. “Please, Captain Storm, share your concerns.” The alabaster alicorn looked a bit miffed while Luna seemed to have a bit of a smirk. “First of all, what exactly are we going there to do? You mentioned an evil king and a curse; who is he, what is he after, though I will concede that’s probably obvious, did he return with the empire, how did he curse the empire in the first place, and what do we do if he does in fact show up? You said that Cadance and Shining Armor are already there; what have they reported? Is everything sunshine and rainbows or has everything hit the fan from the word go? How are we getting there if this place just reappeared after a thousand years? Why in the Makers’ names would you ever call this a test if all of Equestria is at stake? That’s not a test, that’s a crisis! Finally,” here, Midnight took a breath and reined her volume back in, “why are you sending the bearers without the Elements?” Again, all eyes focused in the kirin. “Fair questions, dear captain,” Luna finally said, breaking the silence. “I believe I can answer some questions, at least. It is true that Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor are already in the empire and have sent us word but there is an issue they are having that they cannot adequately explain. We wish for you and the bearers to go to the empire to assist them and shed better light on the subject. We suspect that the curse King Sombra cast on the empire is what is causing the issue.” “We have no idea if he returned with the empire, though he most likely did,” Celestia continued, “That, of course, is what the bearer guard is for.” “And I would agree if it wasn’t for the fact that a unicorn made an entire empire disappear! Obviously this is no ordinary unicorn. I’d ask again what we’d do if he shows up but I think the answer to that is pretty clear by now.” Midnight raised an expectant eyebrow at the princesses. “You shouldn’t need the Elements for this,” Celestia said evenly. Midnight closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. “That is the biggest load of bull buck I have ever heard,” she said. This time both Twilight and the guards gasped at her outburst. Celestia raised her own displeased eyebrow while it looked like Luna covered up what sounded like a bark of laughter. Before the princess of the sun could respond, the ebony kirin continued. “Three times now Equestria has nearly been doomed, either to eternal night, chaos capital of the world, or changeling invasion ground zero. The first time, the Elements, the only things that could save Equestria, were out in the middle of the Everfree and not in Canterlot or sent with Twilight when you sent her off to Ponyville. Blind luck got the right ponies to the right place unharmed to kick-start the Elements into working again. The second time, your big, impressive vault did diddly to keep Discord out and thank the makers he actually let us get to them instead of chucking them into a volcano or burying them in a hole at the bottom of the ocean. The THIRD time,” Midnight raised her voice as both Celestia and Twilight tried to cut in, “we didn’t even get them because they were STILL kept in the vault where they were as useful as a bunch of paper weights! Less, even! You started the bearer guard because without even one of the bearers, the Elements don’t work. Well, they won’t work either if the bearers can never get a hold of them! Now we actually have the chance of being a head of the game and being properly prepared for a crisis, which this is, and you want us to just skip along up there without them? Ever hear of the phrase “better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it”? Unless you want Equestria to be turned into a wasteland of evil crystals, you will give Twilight and the other bearers the Elements.” Celestia’s eyes narrowed. “Do NOT assume to make demands of us, Captain Storm. You have been given your orders.” “Do not call endangering the lives of everyone in Equestria a test, Princess Celestia,” Midnight retorted. “I won’t let everything we love and hold dear be destroyed because you want to give your student a gold sticker!” The silence that followed was palpable. “A moment, if you will,” Luna said, breaking the silence and lighting up her horn. As soon as the glow winked out, she turned to her sister and began talking… with no sound coming out. Yet Celestia turned and began talking back to her, more like arguing from the looks of it, with no sound coming from her either. “Midnight… how could you-!?” Twilight started, only to stop when the kirin turned her head and stared her down with one eye. “Smarty Pants,” Midnight said simply to which Twilight flushed, remembering when she thought she was late with a friendship report. “Twilight,” the kirin continued, “you are one of, if not the, book-smartest ponies I know. If I need to know some fact or how to do something by the book, you’re the first being I’d come to. That said, involve Celestia in any way, shape, or form, and you suddenly get hit by the stupid stick so hard you’re facing backwards. The times she visited Ponyville are good examples.” Twilight opened her mouth, then closed it, opened it again, then closed it once more. “Twilight, think of the times that Equestria itself has been in danger, then think about all the times the Elements were needed to defeat that danger. After you do that, think about how a unicorn created a curse that even the princesses couldn’t break that banished an entire empire, an empire that can affect all of Equestria. Think about all that, really think about it, then tell me we don’t need you and the others to wield the Elements for this.” Only after Twilight had sat back down and Midnight could see her seriously thinking over what she’d just said did the kirin turn back to face the throne and the two alicorns still arguing. She was right, she was sure of it. Equestria was more than likely in danger and the six mares most likely to save it were under her protection. No matter what anyone said, including the princesses, she considered her word the final say about how to handle the danger the bearers would face. If that meant being stubborn to a fault about certain things and getting folks angry at her, then so be it. Finally, the two princesses seemed to come to an agreement and Luna’s horn flared with magic once again. “We have discussed the points you have brought up, Captain Storm,” Luna said, her voice audible again, “and we agree that the Elements should be given to the bearers as a safety measure for this mission.” Luna gave Celestia a look that made it seem she wanted to say more on the subject but didn’t. “Furthermore, Princess Celestia will escort Twilight Sparkle to the royal library to collect several books that have mention of the empire and notes on the possible spells or combinations of that King Sombra might have used on it. Please understand that, as the empire disappeared so suddenly, not many records of it were kept and even more have gone astray since then.” Midnight nodded. “Thank you, your highnesses.” “Are there any other concerns you’d wish to voice, Captain Storm?” Celestia asked, her voice not quite back to its normal tenor just yet. “No, your highness,” Midnight said, “I believe all my concerns have been satisfied. I will return to my guards and brief them. Once Twilight and I have returned to the train station we will make a quick stop at Ponyville and be on our way.” Both princesses nodded. “While Princess Celestia takes Twilight Sparkle to the library, I will take you to the Elements, Captain Storm,” Luna said as both she and Celestia descended from the raised throne. “I would also like to hear your opinion on your newest crop of guards.” ----------------------------- “I’m sorry,” Midnight said once she and Princess Luna were seemingly alone in one of the castle’s hallways. One never knew when the royal walls had ears anymore. “I just-.” “No need for apologies, dear Midnight, in fact I should be thanking you for being so blunt on the matter. I had similar worries myself before yourself and Twilight Sparkle were called to our audience but my sister did convince me things would “work out”. If only we had such convictions when dealing with the many Queen Platinums over our own issues.” A faraway look crossed the alicorn’s face briefly. “Why was Celestia so against using the Elements anyway?” Midnight asked, emboldened by Luna’s words. Luna looked over at the kirin, as if studying her. “Twilight Sparkle has potential, Midnight Storm, potential to become more than what she is now, perhaps even greater than that. My sister and I both see it but perhaps my sister is more eager than I realized to see the Bearer of Magic bloom into her full radiance and hoped this experience would speed up the process. Pushing too hard, too fast, however, may in turn ruin what is sought to flourish and your “reality check” has possibly done more good than you realize. I cannot reveal to you just what potential my sister and I hope for the young mare, as it is only a theory we share and if Twilight were to know it could disrupt her push towards it. I only ask that you trust us so far as that we only want the best for her and for Equestria. But, to truly answer your question, I believe my sister thought that by using them, Twilight would not truly advance toward her destiny, only repeat past events. I disagreed but as I have already said, my sister did convince me that all would be well in the end if she was sent without them. All this said,” Luna went on, her voice becoming more eager, “how have you found your new guards to be? Satisfactory, I hope?” Midnight cringed a bit. “Yes… and no. I had to dismiss thirteen of the ones who were looking to transfer.” “Why so many?” Luna asked, genuinely surprised at the number turned away. “I may have pressed some buttons sooner than I should have,” Midnight admitted, “but I brought along Hone- Queen Honeycomb and her personal guard along to oversee things, as technically she is under my supervision until this stuff with the nobles finally blows over. Those thirteen didn’t like the idea of working alongside changelings and I told them that if they didn’t like it I didn’t want them there. I’m probably projecting my own experiences on things too much but if they can’t get past working alongside changelings then how long before they refuse to listen to orders from Scarlet or work alongside Spine or even refuse an order from me, all just because of what we are? I can’t have anyone like that in my guard who might jeopardize everything because of some stupid complex.” She flinched when Luna snorted in disgust but was surprised by what she said next. “I am in complete agreement with you, Captain. Attitudes like that should be shamed into private until they are no longer able to be passed down through the generations and die out entirely.” She looked side long at the kirin. “Celestia still has not told you the entire story of how your forbearers left Equestria so long ago?” “Only that they are all… that none of them survived,” Midnight said, wondering where Luna was going with this. Luna sighed. “My sister and I long for the days we once knew with all the ones we loved with us again. We both know those days are long past but my sister especially wishes to recreate them as best as possible. Your commissioning as a captain is one such example. With that wish, however, come old fears as well. Celestia fears that history might repeat itself if she tells you exactly what happened with the why being her greatest worry. I will not go behind her back and tell you myself, though it is my belief that knowing what happened will not change anything.” “Why’s that?” “Because we live in a different time with different ponies, dear Midnight. Just because one pony let their fear of what might be drive them to do terrible things does not mean that another will do the exact same thing more than a millennium later. Ponies of this time are worldlier, understand things better, and are usually more rational.” Midnight silently snorted at that last bit. “To live in fear that one will repeat the actions of General Steel Spark is to live a foal’s fear. I have tried to convince my sister but she will not budge on the matter. Perhaps, after this latest crisis, as you so aptly put it, is over, you may force the issue with her? I have heard that often “ripping off the band aid” is the best way to proceed in such cases.” “I can try,” Midnight said, “but if knowing all the details won’t change anything, then would it be worth it to push Celestia to tell me?” “A fair point but it would help ease my sister’s feeling on the matter in the end. Perhaps at a later time when matters are calmer you and she can talk.” Midnight nodded and they walked out of the palace and across the courtyard to the vault in silence. The windows and doors had been fixed since the attack and even the burn marks from attack spells had been taken care of, both inside and out. “Did this General Sparks at least pay for what he did?” Midnight finally asked as Luna leaned forward to unlock the door that Twilight had tried and failed to. “Not for as long as you might have liked,” Luna said after a moment, “but I can assure you that it was appropriately just and painful for his crimes. I was there when your grandfather… sentenced him.” The visions of what an enraged wyvern could do to a pony that were playing in Midnight’s head were interrupted when the box containing the Elements was gently shoved into her chest. A quick check revealed that they were indeed there. “Thank you, Princess. I’ll make sure that the bearers get them and everything and everyone gets back home in one piece.” “I would expect nothing less from one of your talents, Midnight Storm,” Luna said with a nod. “Now return to your troops; Equestria once again has need of you.” Midnight lowered herself in a formal bow, wings outstretched, then, to Luna’s surprised, face-hoofed. “One last question,” the kirin said, “how are we getting there?”