//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4 
// Story: Nightshade: The Adventure Begins 
// by JustPonyboy 
//------------------------------//

Nightshade sat at his desk in his study, sipping his coffee as hoof steps thundered up to his door. Speed threw open the door and was about to give the unicorn a piece of her mind when Nightshade held up his hoof while he finished his final sip.


"Yes?"


"During your little hunt you didn't happen to," she looked for a delicate way to put it, "Nip Ace?"


"What?"


"Did you bite him? Don't lie to me. I know love bites when I see them."


Nightshade cautiously shook his head and they both bolted down to the first floor, where Endie stood in front of the passed-out pegasus on Nightshade's sofa. On his neck was a hastily placed bandage, where two dark red spots were clear as day, nearly bleeding through.


"It was Krystal, wasn't it?" Speed shook her head and began trotting down the hall, "I'll get the first-aid kit."


Nightshade wasn't angry, not this time. More confused, if anything. Krystal had no reason to bite Ace considering their deal with the Princess. Maybe Ace...







A day later Ace was up, walking and talking in less than an hour, but Nightshade kept his thoughts to himself for now. He had a million different theories of what happened, but Ace seemed alright, and he had bigger fish to fry today anyhow.


"Are you alright, Ace?"


"Right as rain, captain." Ace smiled.


Nightshade relaxed a bit, "Well, I've gotta hop to Canterlot for a minute. Talk to an old friend and a- "


"I'm in."


Nightshade raised an eyebrow, "Well. Didn't expect that. Speed? Where's Struck? 'She go home with her marefriend?"


Speed nodded, recounting the events of yesterday afternoon, "Yeah. Her friend showed up, and she met Ace too, well when I say 'met' I mean he bounded up to her like a puppy. Who knew grown stallions genuinely enjoy the Wonderbolts? It was kinda cute."


"Speed, if you and Endie could get Ace ready before we leave, that would be great."


After a bit more of Nightshade getting dressed and Speed and Endie brushing Ace's mane and teeth, the two hopped in Pandora and were off.


"Oh my..."


Ace stared awestruck at the castle from the busy street, Nightshade shook his head at the pegasus.


"First time seeing the castle from this view?" Nightshade nudged Ace as he made his way down a nearby street towards the castle entrance, straightening his tie. "Come on kid."


Ace followed, gawking at everything, much to the amusement of Nightshade. That was until Ace fluttered his wings slamming into another pegasus, sending the tan stallion's glasses sailing and leaving them both in a heap.


"Oh! Hello there." Ace was practically straddling the smaller stallion.


The green-eyed pegasus glared directly into Ace's eyes, "Are you blind? You're worse than that damn mailmare!"


Nightshade stepped forward to apologize but stopped, Who's angry kid is this? The pegasus got to his hooves, making sure his ginger mane wasn't messy, and straightened his bow tie.


"You! Mister Valentine, I assume? Keep your 'associate' on a leash. Now, my name is Ginger. No, you may not call me Gin. Captain Strike sent me to tell you she's in the gardens, if I knew the company she kept was so... uncouth I would have said no. Follow me."


Ginger angrily flapped his wings and pushed past Ace. Nightshade frowned, What an asshole. Then again, he must have had some redeeming quality for Strike to be friendly with him. It was the longest, most uncomfortable silence Nightshade ever experienced.


Ace frowned and Nightshade felt bad. Ace didn't mean to knock over that pipsqueak.


He was thankful when Strike's golden blonde mane shone in the morning sunshine, her armor in pristine condition. The older mare turned to smile at the trio, but Ace recoiled when he saw her. Strike's face was marred by the remnants of a long scar that trailed diagonally across her face over one of her eyes, now that Nightshade had a moment he noticed a few greys in the guard's mane.


"Nightshade!" Strike gave a hearty chuckle as walked over to close the distance, "Ginger wasn't too mean, was he? He has a habit of doing that. Alright, Gin and Ace, you can go... frolic in the hedges? Go play or whatever you young'uns do. I don't know, just go for now. The adults are talking."


Ace didn't hesitate to scamper off, but Ginger stood defiantly for a moment, muttering something along the lines of, "I am an adult. This is bullshit." And taking to the air after the other.


Strike's smile fell, "We need to see Nebula. Now. We think something's up, but we need your opinion."


They began a fast-march back inside the castle, continuing the conversation as they walked into the throne room, "Why didn't you call sooner? You know I have to watch the prince."


Strike led him down a hidden staircase in the back of the room, "That's the thing. This has to do with him. Nights, there's no easy way to say this. We think somepony is planning to do something to the kid soon, specifically the changelings. We've intercepted our third patrol of them just outside the city."


"That's good, right? You've prevented them from getting in. I feel there's a catch."


"Nightshade, changelings attack in a swarm. So what exactly are they doing patrolling the outside of Canterlot?"