Taking a deep breath, Shining Armor entered the large throne room. To his side, the royal guards remained stoic, but Shining knew how they felt behind their expressionless masks. They disagreed with what Shining was about to do, but they knew there was nothing they could do about it. So, instead, to make their captain proud one last time, they stood firm and proud, representing the beacon of safety they were meant to represent under Shining Armor's leadership.
The captain of the royal guard, in return, kept his eyes locked on the princesses in front of him. This whole thing had been his idea, after all. And as much as it pained Shining to admit it, it was for the best. Right behind him, a pegasus mare with a silvery coat and a white mane trotted at the same pace as him, holding her head up high all the while being adorned with a stern and authoritative expression. Iron Wing was following her captain, ready to take his place.
Shining knew nopony else would be better than her to fill his horseshoes. While she wasn't perfection incarnate, she would be able to correct the mistakes Shining Armor made in the past. The mistakes that led to the royal guard being inadequately trained to deal with the recent events, as well as the rampant corruption that seeped through every branch of the guard. Of course, Shining knew it wasn't his fault. He gave everything he could to make sure the royal guard would perfectly embody the ideals of safety, justice and equality throughout Equestria. Unfortunately, Shining's actions were too little, too late.
After reaching a distance of a few meters in front of the princesses, Shining knelt and lowered his head to the floor. Iron Wing followed his example, kneeling right next to Shining Armor. He quickly glanced at her as she did so, observing her face and the large scar that ran across her left eye, and only saw an opaque masque of stoicism, her true emotions hidden deep underneath years and years of military training.
Speaking with a solemn voice, Celestia raised a hoof to accompany her words. "Rise, Shining Armor. Rise, Iron Wing."
Lifting his head, Shining Armor saw Princess Celestia carefully observing Iron Wing and him, while Luna remained silent and stared into nothing. Iron Wing stayed expressionless, although Shining could see a faint twinkle in her eyes as she looked at the two princesses. Despite her constant seriousness and her refusal to show any emotion, it was obvious she was amazed to be in such close proximity to the rulers of Equestria.
"Before we begin," Celestia said as a warm smile formed on her face, "how are you two doing today?"
"I am feeling... I am feeling well, Princess Celestia," Shining replied, his voice faintly wavering.
"So am I, my princess. It is an honor to be in your presence," Iron Wing added without skipping a beat.
"Good. Then, I believe, we are ready," Celestia cleared her throat before motioning to a nearby guard to bring her a scroll. Lifting it up in the air with her magic, she unfurled it and began reading it aloud. "On this day, I, Princess Celestia, as well as my sister, Princess Luna, have given an audience to the current captain of the royal guard, Shining Armor, and his second-in-command, First Lieutenant Iron Wing to discuss the matter of Shining Armor's willful resignation as captain of the guard. In his stead, Shining Armor had elected Iron Wing to take up his role. The court will now hear Shining Armor and Iron Wing's arguments before rendering a decision. Captain Shining Armor, you may begin."
Nodding, Shining knew this whole audience with the princesses was just a formality. They had discussed this matter at length during the past month and everything had already been decided. This meeting was simply one last official ceremony before passing down the torch, Shining thought. "Yes, princesses," Shining began, making sure his voice would not waver anymore as he spoke. "Due to recent events as well as some personal matters, I believe that I am no longer fit to lead the royal guard in an effective manner. I believe Iron Wing will not only be able to take the reins from here on out, but will also be able to rectify the mistakes I have committed as captain of the royal guard."
Luna sighed. While Celestia was receptive to Shining Armor's desire to step down, Luna had voiced her doubtfulness surrounding the situation. "Shining Armor, please elaborate on those mistakes... For the record."
"Of course. To begin with, we have reason to believe a significant portion of the guards in Equestria are prone to corruption and bribery, especially in larger cities. Not only have I failed to uncover these issues before they got out of hoof, but I have also failed to find any viable solution to the problem. Secondly, due to my inadequacies as a leader, I have failed to train the mares and stallions under my command correctly, thus leading to the failures to capture criminals in varied actions that took place in the past few months."
Shining noticed some of the guards cringing at his words, clearly disagreeing with him. The large majority of the royal guards held Shining Armor in high regards, which meant that hearing their beloved captain demean himself saddened them greatly. Shining knew this, of course, but he also knew that as the captain of the guard, he was responsible for every failure and mistake that happened under his leadership: 'true leaders must take accountability', he often repeated when his fellow guards attempted to convince Shining not to step down.
"Can you give us some examples of these varied actions you speak of?" Celestia asked, once again as a formality. Not too far from them, a royal scribe was silently transcribing everything that was being said.
"Of course. Around a month ago, during the week-long festivities of the thousandth Summer Sun Celebration, a trio of ponies not only managed to sneak inside the royal palace, but also found their way inside the archive and stole sensitive information. Furthermore, most of them managed to run away, the only stallion captured was caught only thanks to the help of agent Steady Ai... Steady Travels as well as the criminal's own actions, leaving him too exhausted to run," Shining took a moment before speaking again, allowing the scribe to write everything down. He wasn't sure whether he should leave a pause in his speech to allow him to write everything down, and so decided to be patient.
Eventually, the scribe looked up from his scroll and gave a silent nod to Shining, who continued. "Another example of the royal guard's recent failure to act also took place around a month ago. A base belonging to the terrorist organization known as the Crescent Pact had been raided by a group of civilians, leading to the manor's explosion as well as numerous casualties. Not only did the guard fail to act in a timely manner, but they also failed to protect the excavation team during recovery efforts, leading to the disappearance of twenty guards and the whole excavator team."
"Shining Armor, you were operating with limited information and could not have reasonably known about the danger this base posed. If anything, the responsibility should fall upon my sister, Princess Celestia," Luna said with an exasperated tone. It was the third time they had been having this conversation, though this time, its only purpose was to be officially recorded and archived. She knew exactly which arguments were coming.
"I admit a large part of responsibility concerning this event, Shining Armor," Celestia continued. "Due to the guard's current corruption, I incorrectly believed it would be best to keep this information confidential, only allowing Steady Travels' cell to know about it."
"That may be true, Princess Celestia, but if corruption had not been such an issue, you would have been able to fully trust the royal guard to take care of this matter. The issues are systemic in nature, and I do not believe I am fit to correct the guard's current course effectively," Shining replied. In truth, there was another reason for his desire to step down: he was hurt that Princess Celestia withheld sensitive information from him. As captain of the guard, Shining had assumed that he would be privy to confidential matters, especially those concerning terrorist groups inside Equestria. Upon learning the truth, and upon learning that Celestia trusted Steady more than him, Shining felt incredibly disrespected. Although this had only ultimately played a small part in his decision, it had definitely soured Shining Armor's pride as captain of the guard.
"Very well," Celestia replied. "And you, Iron Wing, what is your opinion on this matter?"
Iron Wing, who had been patiently waiting for her turn to talk, took a step forward and spoke with a clear, resolute voice. "In truth, I believe that Captain Shining Armor is taking responsibility for things that were, and are, far beyond his control. I also believe that there is indeed a systemic issue within the guard and that we need change. Thus, I understand Shining Armor's desire to step down and to elect me as captain of the guard."
Stopping her speech, silence fell in the throne room. Shining Armor curiously looked at Iron Wing. He knew she had a lot more to say about this, and yet her speech had been incredibly short and to the point, causing Shining to wonder if Iron Wing was feeling intimidated by the princesses' presence.
"... Very well," Celestia eventually said. "Then, if everypony here agrees, Iron Wing shall take over the position of captain of—"
"However, while I understand the captain's wishes, I refuse to take his place," Iron Wing suddenly said while staring deep into Celestia's eyes. The guards gasped, Shining was stunned, Luna straightened her back and looked at Iron Wing in surprise. Celestia, meanwhile, simply held Iron Wing's gaze.
"Interesting. May we know what has led you to this decision?" Celestia asked.
"Of course. I believe that Captain Shining Armor is currently going through a crisis of faith, both in the royal guard and in himself. That is not the Shining Armor whose orders I followed. My captain is steadfast and resolute in every single one of his decisions. This current Shining Armor is not my captain and as such, I will not accept his resignation until he comes back to his darned senses."
"Iron Wing, what are you talking about?" Shining loudly exclaimed, shaking his head in confusion.
Suddenly turning her face toward him, Iron Wing's eyes stared deep into Shining Armor's. "If you wish to run away from your responsibilities for the failures of a few dimwitted guards, you shall do it on your own... But you must know that the mares and stallions under your command value your leadership. We will move mountains if you tell us to, and we will work day and night to correct these systemic issues that plague our military. Running away, Shining Armor, means spitting in the face of all those under your command."
"What... But I can't do this, Wing. I've been captain for years now, and yet the situation keeps getting worse."
"No, what you mean is that you haven't found the solution to these issues yet. You can do this, captain. You only need to keep your head high and be a beacon for the rest of us."
Clearing her throat, Luna spoke up with a livelier tone. "While this turn of event is... Unexpected, I must say that I agree with Lieutenant Iron Wing... And given my sister's lack of reaction, I have reason to believe she does as well. Shining Armor, the choice is ultimately yours, but will you leave those under your leadership behind?"
Feeling tears form in the corner of his eyes, Shining took a deep breath. Iron Wing's speech was completely unexpected. Looking around, he saw the many guards looking at him, all with hope in their eyes: they wanted their captain back. It was true that Shining had been dealing with issues of self-doubt, recently, due to the many events that took place just in the last month. Seeing the stallions and mares he had spent years training and living with, each hoping that he would remain as their captain, Shining felt a wave of pride overtake him.
Pride, not in himself, but in the many guards around him.
Speaking up again, Iron Wing continued her speech. "I am not saying this just to stroke your ego, captain, or to dodge the responsibilities that come with being in your position. In fact, I have already been studying a few options that might help us deal with Equestria's current threats. If you are willing to remain our captain, I am sure you will be able to guide us through these tough times. All you need is to let us help you, captain."
Wiping the tears on his face, Shining Armor sniffled. "... Alright, then. I accept... And I apologize. It was never my intention to doubt, or to insult any of you," he said as he gazed upon the guards smiling at him. "Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, I must apologize. It would seem that there is no longer any point to this audience."
"Do not apologize, Captain Shining Armor. We are glad to see you back," Celestia smiled.
"I will take my leave, then. I shall immediately see these ideas Iron Wing mentioned. I will make you proud, my princesses," Shining knelt one last time. Once again, the silver unicorn to his side followed his lead.
"In this case, we declare this audience finished. You may leave," Luna said. She was glad to see Shining Armor remain as captain of the guard, especially after arguing so long in his favor despite not knowing him for very long. While she had claimed that she believed changing the current captain of the guard would be counterproductive given their lack of information surrounding the Pact's actions and whereabouts, a part of her also told her to be wary of Iron Wing. Luna did not want to see her in the position of captain of the guard, her fears being based on nothing but intuition. She was more than glad to see that Iron Wing herself declined to rise up the ranks, although Luna wondered why.
As Shining Armor and Iron Wing began leaving the throne room, it took the silvery pegasus all her focus not to smirk. Her plan worked perfectly. She would lead Equestria to greatness, she thought as she walked. Shining Armor was nothing but a stepping stone in her grand design.