Ten years earlier...
Princess Celestia strode into the Canterlot emergency room, an enraged goddess. The image of her was shocking to the ponies there. None of them had ever seen her without the royal tiara, or the yoke of office around her neck. Even her golden boots were missing, her bare hooves shod only with simple iron horseshoes. Her mane and tail were cinched back with a pair of basic elastics, but the ethereal colours continued to writhe, as if angered by their confinement. On top of this unprecedented display, there were rusty stains on her coat that anypony could spot as dried blood spatters. Unbridled rage flared behind her eyes, and no pony dared to meet her gaze. She advanced on the admissions desk.
"Two ponies were brought here from the riots. Where are they?" The princesses voice was dark and low, the sound of a mare on the edge of violence. The nurse at the desk jumped to answer.
"Can you describe their cutie-marks for me?"
"A pegasus mare with a group of seven bubbles, and a unicorn stallion with the constellation Virgo."
"Exam rooms 'A' and 'B'. they need to be stabilized before we send them up for surgery." The colour drained from the nurses face, as she recalled exactly how badly injured those two patients were.
"Through here?" It wasn't a question, the princess was walking back through the E. R. as if she owned it. Ponies fell over themselves to get out of her way.
"You can't go in there!" The nurse cried out, "Those are sterile rooms!" She raced from behind the desk in a vain attempt to head off the alicorn.
The examination rooms were large, glass fronted, medical rooms, opening up on a wide hallway. They had wide doors that could be pushed open from both sides with either a kick, or a gurney, and had their lower half reinforced with stainless steel. There were two rooms that were both a hive of activity. Medical ponies rushed about inside, shouting instructions at each other. Equipment was being passed around in a flurry of activity. The princess balked at the sight before her. She swung her gaze between the two rooms, uncertainty and fear on her face.
"Please Princess Celestia, you have to return to the waiting room."
"These two are members of my Royal Guard. Please inform the doctors that the Royal Infirmary is at their disposal, and I would like to request they be transferred there as soon as practical." Her voice sounded subdued, as she permitted herself to be led back to the waiting room. The request was a formality, for centuries the princess had made sure that every hospital in the land was provided with the best of everything.
The waiting room was crowded, and unusually quiet. Ponies pressed themselves against the walls in an attempt to give the princess some form of personal space. Two guards were posted at the entrance to the E. R. and another stood by the admissions desk, eyes focused on the crowd in the waiting room. Vigilance radiated from them, along with anger. Their eyes seemed to dare anypony present to make any kind of move they might disapprove of.
"Are you hurt, Princess?" A foal had broken away from his mother, and had squirmed up in front of the royal alicorn. He looked up, fearless, his voice and eyes full of concern.
"No child. I am alright. Some friends of mine were, however."
"Oh." the young colt brow furrowed. "Did the bad ponies hurt them?"
"Yes," The emotion of the moment caught Princess Celestia's voice, cracking it as she spoke with the foal. "They were hurt very badly. They were only trying to help me..."
"My daddy was hurt too. The bad ponies knocked him down, and tipped up our fruit cart in the markets."
"You were there?" the princess asked, her anger rising again.
"Yeah, but it's okay. I was able to grab the money pouch, and run to get help. The police ponies came to scare them off. Did you get the police ponies to help your friends?"
The innocent question was like a lance to Celestia's heart. "My friends are a kind of police pony." It was all she could choke out.
"Alfalfa, leave the Princess alone!" A middle aged mare squeezed forward through the press of bodies, her mane in disarray and fear in her voice. "I'm sorry, your Highness. I just.. We..." Her voice trailed off in confusion.
"It's quite alright. I never tire of the innocence of foals." Try as she might, the princess couldn't bring herself to smile. The mask she wore had cracked, and trepidation covered her face. "The child's father was injured?"
"My husband, yes. A broken foreleg. They are fitting a cast now. He should be completely healed before we can afford to replace the fruit cart." The worried mare couldn't hide the bitterness in her voice.
"The Royal kitchens are always looking for fresh produce. If you contact the castle secretary, he will be happy to make arrangements to collect an order from you." It was a small gesture, insignificant, in the scheme of things. Ponies responded best to these small, personal gestures. It was the nobles that demanded she move the sun and moon, just for them.
"Your majesty! I... We... Thank you!"
The duty nurse intruded on the scene, walking right to the royal alicorn, but unable to meet the princess's gaze. She had news, and Celestia could tell from across the room that is was not good.
"The unicorn stallion is going up for surgery. There is a complication with treating the pegasus mare." Her voice was low, Celestia could hear the the anger behind the flat statement. "She's pregnant, and many of the drugs we need to use are far too dangerous for her condition."
Princess Celestia reeled from the shock, as if she had been struck.
-----
Intensive care had a whole floor to itself. Despite the fact that it was nearly empty of patients, Princess Celestia still felt guilty for taking up a whole room for herself, and her staff. Guards and castle attendants came and went, passing information and paperwork back and forth. Just down the hall were the two injured guards. Machines beeping and hissing, measuring their life in a cold and impersonal way. Hospital staff made notes, administered treatments, and fussed over the two unconscious guards. Three lives hung in the balance, and all there was to do was wait. Celestia hated hospitals.
"Return to the castle, there are more than enough staff here to alert you of any change," the castle's secretary pleaded yet again.
"No."
"Think of your duties. We can not delay Court forever."
"Hang the Court."
"You have to open Parliament. The delays to government will be crippling."
"I am a figurehead. Parliament can function perfectly well without a pompous speech from me. Tell them to get to work."
"But, the traditions of our great land..."
"Curse our bloody traditions!" Celestia shouted. "I am not leaving until they wake."
The secretary gave up. There was no reasoning with the goddess of the sun when she spoke sacrilege about tradition. He turned his attention to the injured ponies before him. They looked completely unremarkable. A unicorn, and a pegasus, they hadn't even been wearing the ceremonial armour.
"Why do you even need a guard?"
"They volunteer. They are all volunteers." Centuries of pain were evident in the princess's voice. "I used to send them away. 'Protect my ponies, a goddess needs no guard,' I would tell them. For centuries I sent them away. It was Discord's reign that changed my mind."
"Who?" the secretary interrupted, confusion on his face.
"Discord. He was once much more than a statue in the Royal Gardens. After I sealed him into that stone prison, there was still chaos in the land. I had help," Celestia gave the moon a longing look, "but there was still so much to do. A group of ponies, still under Discord's spell, attacked me. I was forced to defend myself. When the smoke cleared, I... I had killed them."
"How?" The thought that he might be the first in centuries to hear this tale gave him a thrill, but the distress the princess displayed kept his tone respectful.
"Corporal Swift Wing," The princess called out without turning around, "You have a sibling, correct?"
"Yes Ma'am, a younger brother."
"Do you play-fight with your brother? Wrestle, good-natured roughhousing?"
"Not since I joined the Guard, Ma'am. We play card games mostly now. I'm teaching him Poker."
"Because a guard is trained to never pull their punches. If they are forced to use violence, they must give their attack all they have. If a guard gets into the habit of pulling their punches, they are less effective when it is needed. The fraction of a second it takes to calculate how hard to hit is a fraction of a second too long. It can mean the very difference between life and death."
"Yes Ma'am," the guard confirmed.
"Do you think it is any different for me? My claim on immortality is a tenuous one at best. It is simply because I have not died yet. This body still has the instinct of self preservation. I must assume there is a reason for that. I must answer any attack with the full force I am capable of, in defense of my life."
"Ah, yes." It was the only response the castle secretary was capable of. "How can she remember the names of the guards around her without looking at them?" he wondered.
"Standing there, surrounded by corpses, the thought of a guard was an appealing one." She turned her attention to the two injured ponies. "The power my guards are capable of is a much more appropriate response to a threat from normal ponies. They suffer to assuage my guilt. They die to spare me a long convalescence. For this, I love every one of them. On days like this, I wonder if it is all worth it. Standing here, now, I am forced to wonder if I should send them away again. Should I permit this travesty to continue, because of my weakness?"
Princess Celestia bowed her head and allowed her tears to run freely. "I have merely exchanged one form of guilt for another. Either way, there is blood on my hooves. What kind of monster am I to let this happen?"
The room was silent, save the muffled beeps coming from the life support machines in the intensive care rooms. No one spoke, lest they intrude on the alicorn's grief.
-----
It was shortly before dawn when the alarms rang out. The castle staff had long since left the princess to her vigil. Only the guards and nurses remained. Celestia had spent the night, pacing between the two beds, silently willing the two guards to wake and heal. Not even the power to move the sun could help. Physical injuries responded only to time. Celestia really hated hospitals.
The life support alarms on Valiant Charge cut through the air, screaming for attention. Nurses lept to his side. A doctor arrived at a speed that defied belief. The curtains were hastily drawn, obscuring Celestia's view. She moved back, giving the medical ponies room to work. Her ears twitched at every shouted instruction.
In short order, the bed was hurriedly wheeled out. The medics were pushing it towards the lifts at a gallop. "Get him back to surgery, now!" one of them shouted, as the others continued trying to administer treatments on the fly.
Celestia was left alone on the ward, confused and frightened. Shock kept her immobile. Her mind reeled with questions, and there was nopony around to ask. The minutes stretched out. Desperate for some form of activity to occupy her mind, the alicorn went to the washroom. She had the sudden and overwhelming desire to clean the blood out of her coat. The temptation to teleport to her chambers was almost too strong to fight. She forced herself to use the basic facilities provided in the public bathroom.
The ward remained mostly empty when she came out. Her half hearted attempt at grooming had done nothing for her appearance, or her state of mind. The princess took a seat at the bedside of the battered pegasus.
"I'm guessing you are unaware of your pregnancy." Celestia spoke to fill the silence. "I did not know you were in a relationship. You kept that well hidden, Derpy." A flicker of a smile crossed the alicorn's face. "I follow the lives of my guard very closely. Some of it is so I can protect you, and guide you. But most of it is so I can live vicariously. It can be difficult for a goddess to experience the mundane aspects of life."
"Does he treat you well? A foal can be a joy for a couple, if their relationship is strong. I do hope you are happy together. You do realize that while you are unconscious, we have no way to know who to contact. Would you wake up, so we can bring him to your bedside?" The princess cajoled.
"No? I can understand that you are not ready to talk openly about him yet. I do not mean to rush you. Maybe when your parents get here. We got word to them in Cloudsdale. They are on their way. Valiant Charge's parents are also coming from Trottingham. Have you met them? Wonderful ponies, both of them." Celestia's attention drifted.
"Family is a marvelous thing. Parents working together to make your life easier than theirs. Siblings, to learn from and teach. Grandparents to pass on the wisdom of the ages. Our ties to family are what gave rise to civilization." The princess got up from the bedside, and walked to the window.
"Come back to me sister," she addressed the moon. "I miss you. I need you." The goddess stood silent, ruminating on her often repeated prayer. The dawn was due. Whatever hurt she may feel, the sun must still rise. Focusing on the familiar effort, she watched the dawn over a troubled Canterlot.
There was a shuffling of hooves behind her. A nurse cleared her throat. "The unicorn stallion Valiant Charge passed away. A fragment of bone had pierced his heart. There was nothing that could be done."
The nurse stood awkwardly as Celestia wept.
-----
The day brought little change to the ward. Artificial light ruled overhead, and there was a parade of guards and castle staff before the princess. Still she refused to leave Derpy's bedside. Nurses and doctors worked around her. The royal alicorn paid little attention to what occurred around her, focused intently on the bandaged pegasus, still unconscious.
A scroll, coalescing in a flash of dragon fire, appeared before her. From her faithful student, no doubt. A brief wave of panic washed over her. Celestia wondered what the young unicorn had been told. With uncharacteristic speed, she opened the scroll.
Dear Princess Celestia,
The castle Secretary told me that you are at the hospital. Are you alright? Are you hurt? Is there anything I can do?
Please be alright.
What are we going to do if she isn't alright Spike? Wait, don't write that! Spike, what are you doing?Sorry Princess. Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle.
With barely a thought, the princess pulled the pen attached to Derpy's medical chart, and hastily dashed off a reply on the parchment she had just received. Her response amounted to little more than a simple "I am fine. Our studies together will resume in a few days." The last thing she wanted was for her student to worry, or get herself underhoof here in the hospital. With no ceremony whatsoever, she flashed it back to the budding mage.
Time passed slowly. There remained no change in the broken mare before her. The machines kept their tireless and mindless vigil. Ponies passed before her, Celestia paid the minimum possible attention. She spoke almost exclusively to the mare in the bed before her. A stilted, one sided conversation. The hospital fell into a routine around the princess.
The Captian of her guard, a dark grey unicorn named Cold Steel, managed to intrude and force her attention on him.
"Ma'am, I am requesting that you sign these discharge papers," his tone was abrupt.
"What?" Celestia's reply was tinged with surprise.
"It has come to my attention that Valiant Charge and Derpy Hooves were fraternizing. That is grounds for a dishonourable discharge."
"What?" The anger behind her query was evident.
"Valiant's diary was brought to my attention. He had detailed the affair within."
"His body is not yet cold, and you are clearing his bunk? More than that, you are reading his private diary?" Barely contained rage was colouring her voice.
"Fraternisation leads to a less effective fighting force. It is against the code of the guard. Where evidence of a relationship of this nature is found, those involved must be punished."
"Both Derpy and Valiant proved their effectiveness in the riots. They behaved with great honour and bravery, and are a credit to the guard. I have never told any pony who they may, or may not love. I will not permit such rules in my guard. I will not sign that abomination."
"Over many years, I have determined this is the best way to run the guard. It is for the greater good that we must have order in the ranks. I'm sorry you find it distasteful, but we must have discipline." His stony expression suggested that he would not be moved.
"Cold Steel, I accept your resignation."
"I... Wait... What?" Fear and confusion replaced his calculating look.
"I no longer trust your judgement." Celestia explained. "There is no place for you in my guard. Your final act will be to ensure that Valiant Charge's next of kin is paid the full death benefit, and Derpy Hooves receives the appropriate medical discharge, and benefits. Your own pension is riding on this."
"I have provided decades of loyal service, and have always acted in your best interests. You can't do..."
"My guard, Steel. My guard.” The princess leaned in close, intruding on Cold Steel’s personal space, so he could see the fury in her eyes. “I will not tell any member of my guard who they are permitted to love. I will not allow anypony to impose such rules." Her voice quavered from the anger behind it.
"But.. I mean, what... Err..."
"Remove yourself from my presence, Steel." The princess turned away from the suddenly deposed guard, and fought to keep herself under control.
Celestia returned her attention to the battered mare before her. The grey pegasus's head was a mass of bandages, and the princess had been told that she had lost her left eye. Her jaw was wired to hold it together. Her wings in splints, to prevent any further damage should she try to move them when she woke. Stitches held some wounds closed, and were a reminder of the surgery she had undergone. Celestia felt sympathetic physical pain just looking at her.
"Derpy, I am sorry." Celestia whispered her. "Please wake up."
-----
The parchment that Princess Celestia floated before her burned into her very soul. It had arrived amid a flurry of activity from her guards. Some had argued that it should be concealed from her. Instead, she had insisted that she would deal with it personally. It took all of her self control not to immolate it on the spot. Instead, she summoned for a guard to be brought to her. A guard well known to her, one she could trust and confide in.
"At your service Ma'am." Shining Armour said as soon as he was in the royal presence.
"How was Cadance's tour of Manehatten? It was your first time leading a security detail, was it not?" Celestia asked in an indifferent tone.
"Yes Ma’am. It was uneventful, and cut short. She insisted we return as soon as news of the riots broke."
"Yes, the riots. How well do you know Derpy Hooves and Valiant Charge?"
"The Barebacks keep to themselves, mostly. I've never had anything to do with them directly. I've never heard anything against them either."
"Invisible guard, and ceremonial guard are the correct terms Shining Armour," the Princess reminded the enthusiastic pony. "Save the 'ironback' and 'bareback' nicknames for the troops. How is morale in the corps?"
"I'd rather not say." Shining evaded.
"That bad?"
"Probably worse."
"I have a task for you, and you alone. You must not speak of it until it is complete. This could make, or break your career Shining Armour. There is going to be a major restructure of the chain of command in the coming weeks, under my personal supervision. Do you understand?" Celestia gave him a look that bored through to his very soul.
"Yes Ma'am." His response was heavy with a tone of respect.
"The three ponies allegedly," Celestia spat the word with obvious distaste, "responsible have been captured. They are being held at the south Canterlot police station. The police are, understandably concerned about handing them over to the Royal Guard. However, we must have access to them to conduct an investigation."
"Yes Ma'am." He kept his response completely neutral.
"You are to go there, to interview them. First, arrange any treatment for injuries they may have suffered, no matter how minor. When you have been assured of their good health, you are to conduct the interviews. You will take meticulous notes. Do you understand?"
"Yes Ma'am."
"I want to know these ponies better than their own mothers do. I want your report to detail their lives in greater depth than the biographies of the founders of Equestria." Celestia floated over two files. "These are a copy of the medical reports on Derpy and Valiant. I want you to determine which member of their gang inflicted every blow they suffered. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes Ma'am."
"I forbid you to use any form of violence, torture, or intimidation against them. You are to gain this information without even threatening to harm so much as one hair of their manes. You are not to offer them any clemency deals either. Make no promises to them."
"With respect, Ma'am, you are not making this easy."
"Shining..." Celestia took a deep breath, attempting to steady herself. "I have imprisoned gods in stone tombs. I have exiled members of my own family to realms beyond this world. I have torn the bodies of evildoers asunder, and danced on their entrails. I tell you this, not to impress you, but to warn you. I am not to be trusted with these ponies. Should the worst happen, I will need somepony I love to stand between myself and them. Can you do that? Are you willing to protect them from me?"
"I will do my sworn duty, your Highness. I will protect the citizens of Equestria from the threat of harm, whatever form that might take."
Princess Celestia looked through the window to her broken guard. "What do I do, Shining, if I lose two more innocent souls here today?"
"You return to the castle, and do your duty, Princess. And leave me to perform mine."
Without turning from the window, Celestia floated an envelope across the room. The formality of orders, registered with the chain of command, and filled out in triplicate. An army may march on its stomach, but its command breathes paperwork.
-----
It was late afternoon, twenty-four hours since her ill fated parade through the markets. Such a short time to wreak so much havoc. Celestia looked over to the empty space where Valiant Charge's bed had been. Such a short time to ruin lives. The bloodstained bedspread remained on the floor, crumpled in a heap and kicked out of the way. A terrible reminder of the debt on her soul.
"Hurrek," It was the sound of a pony trying to speak with a breathing tube down her windpipe. "Murkelh hurrek."
"Don't try to speak, Derpy," the nurse said in reassuring tones. "I'm going to pull it out. It will hurt, but it will help if you cough. Can you do that for me?"
The nurses telekinetic aura surrounded the tube, and slowly drew it out. Derpy gave a horrible gagging cough as it slipped out of her mouth.
"Don't move, and don't speak. I'll get some water for you." The nurse was gone, at a galloping pace, to fetch a doctor along with the water.
"Princess!" Derpy's voice was husky and raw, the word distorted by her wired jaw.
"Shush, Derpy. I'm here. Do not speak, just rest." The princess responded, relief flooding through her.
"It's an ambush, you have to go!" Her plaintive cry cut Celestia to the core.
"We're safe, Derpy. This is a hospital, you are safe."
"They have weapons," she cried out as the nurse and doctor returned, "We have to go!"
"Derpy, I am safe." Celestia bent down to look her guard in the eye. "Rest now, we are safe."
The goddesses words didn't register with the beaten guard. Instead she thrashed under the bedspread. Alarms began to sound as the life support sensors were torn loose. Fresh blood began to seep from her wounds as her struggles reopened them.
"Quick, sedate her!" the doctor shouted as he fished through a drawer for a syringe.
"What about the foal?"
"We have to save the mother first! Put her out before she tears those stitches!"
"Derpy, I'm here, I'm safe," the princess cried, trying to hold the agitated mare still for the medicos to work. "We're both safe."
"No, please!" Derpy cried as the needle found its mark on her foreleg. "Princess, run for it!" She continued to thrash, fighting the sedative. Fighting the doctor and nurses as they tried to restrain her.
"I'm safe, you're in hospital. We are both safe." the goddess of the day repeated, desperate for her words to register in her loyal guard. "You're safe."
"Reinforcements," she slurred as the drugs took effect. She could see the glint of the armour on the guards that were assigned to the alicorn's vigil. They were drawn to the commotion. "Princess, go. Save yourself."
"Derpy, I'm safe. We are both safe. It's okay, I'm going to look after you." Her voice cracked, formal language was forgotten as she desperately tried to comfort the pegasus. "We're both safe..."
She repeated the phrase, over and over. As much a mantra to herself, as well as words of comfort to the mare before her. She kept repeating it, long after Derpy had again slipped into unconsciousness. Fresh blood from the reopened wounds stained Celestia’s hooves. Her tears fell over the sleeping pony.