"A Changing of the Guard"
Chapter 5: Renewal
But to look beyond the Glory
is the hardest part
For a hero's strength is measured
by his heart
Life, it seemed was an endless series of rituals, both great and insignificant, everypony and every organization had them to one degree or another; the Royal Guard was no exception. In truth, as with most things that had the term "royal" associated with them, such rituals were almost always needlessly complicated, but they were adhered to out of tradition. Shining Armor, of course, had never been one for exacting tradition and had liked to put his own spine on just about everything during his captaincy.
As such, why should the Changing of the Guard be any different?
The first order of business was to find a set of bronze cadet armor that would fit his helmet bearer, but that had thankfully taken only a few minutes and once settled upon her small frame, the deep, rich color of the metal had been perfectly set off by her magenta colored fur. Normally, she would also be wearing a helmet, but her rank was purely ceremonial -- and temporary -- so only the breastplate had been issued and even that was a bit to large, requiring the two adults to make some quick alterations to the item so that it didn't look ridiculously over-sized on the filly. The pure joy on the Dawn Scout's face was worth it though as the cushion was fixed to her saddle pad and the violet hued captains helmet placed reverently atop it. To her credit, she managed to stand still throughout the entirety of the process despite the look in her eyes that said she wanted to jump for joy until she had no strength left to do so.
Ocean Mist on the other hoof was slightly more problematic.
"Captain! I'm telling you this isn't going to work! My wings will never fit through those notches, not and still be able to fly!"
"And I'm telling you, captain elect that it will if you'll just put the Tartarus damned piece of armor on and quit complaining!"
Like all Pegesai, Ocean Mist's wings were extremely sensitive; touching them was considered an intimate gesture and restricting them was tantamount to butchery, so Pegasus guard armor had to be made to even more exacting specifications than normal guard armor. As the Captain's Armor had been worn by a unicorn for more than forty years, it no longer bore wing slits except for the barest gap just below the saddle plate. The two ponies faced off against each other stubbornly, glaring as only long time comrades or friends could glare at each other and it seemed that neither would give ground despite the rapidly dwindling window of time to prepare.
"Mist, the armor is an artifact, I don't know how it works, I just know that it works, Dust was an earth pony for Celestia's sake! Do you think I had half his muscle?!"
"Captain, be reasonable! Lets just take a little bit of time and get it fixed so that its.... Scout, why are you smiling like that?"
The pair looked to the temporary Cadet who had a look halfway between embarrassment at being caught and superiority at knowing something the adults didn't know. But she kept silent and looked upwards, giving the most innocent expression she could muster that succeeded only in making her look that much more guilty. Her body trembled with barely contained laughter until Shining armor cleared his throat.
"Your captain elect asked you a question, cadet."
"She's stalling," Scout answered honestly.
"Scout!" Mist shouted.
"Well you are!" The filly countered.
Shining Armor watched the exchange for a few seconds before letting out a deep, and much needed, belly laugh that almost sent him to his knees before finally bringing it under control as Mist looked at him warily.
"I should have seen it... I must be getting old if I missed that old ploy... you use the same trick on your troops when you disagree with their assessment of a situation."
Sheepishly, Mist looked to floor. "Guilty."
"So I see... shall we try this again?" he asked.
Wisely, the captain elect stayed silent and merely nodded her consent as Dawn Scout giggled lightly from the side. Coming to attention, the pegasus pony did her best not to bristle her feathers as Shining Armor raised the armor with his magic and set it across her back, the mare tensing up as the heavy Starsteel plates came to rest across her wings and pinned them to her sides. The armor was easily two sizes to big for her and felt as if it would buckle her legs at any second as Shining Armor released his hold upon it.
" By the Grace of the Moon and the Strength of the Sun do I pass to you the mantle of Captain, may it protect you as it has protected those whose legacy you choose to uphold."
The words came out strangely, as if he were speaking through a voice-changer of some sort, their inflection carrying an almost metallic tone and they seemed to echo around both of them, Shining Armor standing a little straighter even as Ocean Mist struggled to keep upright. But as the reverberation of the words died down, she felt the armor lightening and shifting, magical energy running in light static pinpricks across her muscles as the armor rearranged itself, pulling in tight against her flanks as small slits opened in the sides through which her wings immediately stretched through on pure reflex. The effect made the armor almost like a second skin and though she knew deep down it would turn aside all but the most deadly of weapons, it felt no heavier than silk against her.
"It's..." she started, bending her neck a little to look at the way the armor formed to her. "I... it's hard to describe, Captain... it's like... it feels like I'm not wearing anything but I know I am... and I feel stronger, lighter in a way and that's saying something!"
He nodded to her. "That's the power of the Armor, it magnifies the natural abilities of the one that wears it and moves with them rather than against them the way normal armor does. It's a relic of the Discordian War, and is said to have been blessed by the Founders as well as the original Council of Alicorns. Stay true to your duty, and it will always protect you, forsake your duty, and it will never help you again." He shivered a little as he said that. "And, remember the words I spoke to pass it on to you, that is the magic that gives it to another. You can only say them once in your lifetime, and I'll never be able to say them again."
She nodded to him silently, still looking herself over for a few more seconds before standing at attention and snapping off a firm salute. Returning the salute, he nodded and motioned to Scout to be ready. Without further word, he took hold of the door with his magic and swung it open, the three of them stepping out into the hallway as he pulled it closed behind them.
Once outside, Shining Armor began to walk forward slowly, Ocean Mist taking up position on his right as Dawn Scout took up position on his left. As a group, they moved through the long hallways of the Keep and Shining Armor found his hoof steps slowing as his eyes began to wander and his ears pinned back, the soft clip-clop of his hooves against the immaculately polished tiles echoing in an arrhythmic symphony as he took in the artifacts that lined the hallways. In one alcove, an old blade recovered from a battlefield near the Gryphon highlands filled a glass case as if waiting to be taken up once more. Below a banner, a suit of midnight blue armor -- a hole punched cleanly through its breastplate -- stood in mute tribute to its fallen wearer. It was often joked by visitors that the Keep was as much a museum as it was a headquarters, but the glares earned from such words always silenced the offender quickly. Reminders such as the armor and blade, a broken spear tip, a jeweled hoof ring and more lined every hallway as silent tribute to the guards who had come before them; and quiet reminders to the ones that would follow of the legacy they had to live up to.
It always fell upon new cadets -- and as punishment for those of higher rank -- to polish these treasures and to learn the names and stories behind each one. Shining Armor felt as if he had polished every one of them at least once during his tenure as a cadet, and had often spent afternoons helping his own cadets with their work if only to forge a deeper bond with the new blood. On any given day, there should have been dozens of raw stallions and mares working on them, but today there were none to be found; a thought that was both eerie and a little disheartening.
"It must be about dinner time," he thought to himself. "That's probably where they're all at since the practice field was empty and I guess that's for the best..."
The unbidden thought quickly shattered the mood that had been slowly brightening throughout the day and his mind wandered for a moment to the former captains who had taken this, the longest of all walks, before him as questions began to fill his mind. So many questions in fact that he felt as if he might collapse under their weight and as the light through the stained glass windows began to dim to the marble and granite bastions that surrounded the Shadow Steps came into view he felt his gait slow as his body trembled ever so slightly; before finally coming to a halt a few steps before the doors.
Had the other captains tried to avoid the comfort of others as he had? Did they try to go it alone and succeed? Did they take the easy way out and simply lean on the younger generation? He tried to recall how Dust Storm had left but found that he could remember it in only vague details. The Third and Fifth Companies -- Shining Armor having ascended from the Fifth and Dust having been part of the Third -- had seen the old stallion off with a salute and one last hurrah, and one or two of the guard companies would do the same for him, but who had Ocean Mist selected for the honor guard? The Second Company, from which she was ascending seemed the logical choice, but he didn't know and that thought was unsettling; he used to know every move used in a ceremony
Dimly, he heard Mist speaking to him, but the words were distant and indistinct, impossible for him to make out.
The tremors felt as if they were worsening, his legs felt like jelly and his spine felt as if it would break at any second. He wasn't ready for this and he knew it, despite everything that had been said earlier, despite all the reassurances, he was not ready. No amount of consolation, no words would change the fact that very soon his career -- his life! -- would be over only a few moments after he departed the ancient building. He could walk through the doors again of course, visit friends and old subordinates, but he would never be a Captain again, never hold any authority or place amongst them; from this point forward he would always be an outsider looking in.
Those who looked at the outside of the doors rarely saw the golden Orichalcum and polished Moonsilver bands that girded the doors. Never saw the thousands of intricate runes carved into their inner facade that filled the wood with magic so powerful it would take Celestia herself to shatter them. They did not offer him any security now, but rather seemed to mock and taunt him like some great beast ready to swallow him whole.
For the first time in a very, very long time, he felt fear running through him.
His mind screamed at him once more, telling him he still had time, that he could still change his decision. He could fight the council, demand to be allowed to remain until he could not longer bear the weight of his armor. He could call upon his relationship with Cadence, force the chancellors to make an exception, surely they would do that! All he had to do was back up. All he had to do was...
Run!, he thought.
The word echoed in his mind like the taunt of a demon or a changeling and it made his stomach knot painfully. It was a word he never used unless he had no other choice and even then he hated it. It sounded synonymous with coward and though he was many things, he was not a coward. Slowly, the haze began to fade and the weight began to lift, the words of his escort starting to cut through his mind as he looked down to see Scout looking up at him expectantly.
"Y-yes?" He stammered.
"You... kind of zoned out there for a moment, Captain... are you okay? Need to sit down for a minute?" The filly's words were filled with genuine concern, and the sentiment galvanized his resolve. He had said he would leave with his head held high and he intended to do just that.
"Yes... just, had to take a minute to collect my thoughts and... and convince myself this really was real."
"Captain, we can put this off for a few more minutes... you don't have to..."
"No... No... we have to do this now, Mist... if I wait any longer I may... no... I will regret it, we all will."
The two girls looked at each other for a moment and then nodded, falling back in step behind him as he marched forward, the hallway feeling claustrophobic and stifling as he reached out to the doors with his magic and threw them open to banish the darkness with the rays of Celestia's afternoon sun. Momentarily blinded, he walked forward with his eyes closed and luxuriated in the feel of warmth against his face and the gentle bristling of wind against his exposed fur, a light puff of air whipping his main slightly. This was his last obstacle, and he had overcome it, pounded down the fear and risen to the occasion once more. In many ways, it was a liberating feeling, his melancholy fading away as he opened his eyes.
And he felt his heart catch in his throat at the sight that greeted him.
Had he not seen it with his own blue eyes, he would not have believed the parade ground could hold so many ponies at one time without bursting. Arrayed in neat rows stretching twenty ponies wide and dozens of rows deep, stood the seven great companies of the Royal Guard in their full regalia and glory.
To the East, the First, Third and Fifth companies, the Solar Guard, in alternating rows of pristine white and deep brown beneath sun-golden armor. To the West, the Second, Fourth and Sixth companies, the Lunar Guard, in alternating rows of dusk grey and jet black beneath nightshade violet armor. In the center, the Seventh Company, stood as an equal mix of Lunar and Solar Guard in alternating rows.
In each company, ponies resplendent in their armor stood shoulder to shoulder with unarmored veterans and bronze-clad cadets.
But it was more than just his guards, for before each great company stood one of the Bearers of Harmony, the mares flanked by their respective mates and honor guards. Each dressed in their royal finery or robes of office, their Element proudly displayed for all to see and gleaming in the evening light. His own foals and the young dragon Spike, took the place of honor before the seventh company while at the head of all those gathered stood Celestia, Luna and Cadence, their heads high and their wings stretched out as they waited for him to descend towards them.
For the second time of the day, he felt that his courage fail him. He had expected two companies at most with one of the Princesses presiding over the ceremony, not the full war host of the guard, and felt dumbstruck by the spectacle. Recalling his sister's advice, however, he squared his shoulders and descended the steps one by one in a practiced trot, Ocean Mist and Dawn Scout following behind him silently until he reached the bottom and knelt before the rulers of Equestria.
"Rise, Captain Shining Armor," Celestia said.
"Your Highness," he replied, his head still bowed even as he came to his hooves once more, his next words escaping his mouth before his mind could stop them. "What is all this...?"
Rather than answer him directly, Celestia smiled the warm, motherly smile she was known for, her voice carrying across to all those assembled as she spoke, "It is a rare occasion when the whole of the Equestrian Royal Guard, both old, new and yet to come, stand beside each other as one. Rarer still is it to find a Captain whose guard not only chose, but demanded, to stand in honor for their departure. In truth, I cannot remember a time when the reaction to a Changing of the Guard has ever been so concise and unanimous. It is therefore my honor and privilege to stand before you this day as we honor you, Captain Shining Armor."
As she fell silent, Luna's voice rang out in turn. "Look well around thee, Captain Shining Armor, thou hast done more in thy life than most ponies doth achieve in a dozen lifetimes and thou hast achieved a greatness that cannot be measured in awards or riches. What thou doth see here this day transcends the common definitions of loyalty and respect. It is a thing that cannot be forced or bought, but one that can only be earned and thou hast earned it a thousand times over. This, we say, is admiration of the highest order and we know that there is no pony upon this field who wouldst not lay down their life for thee, for they know thee wouldst do the same for them without hesitation."
"Shining Armor," Cadence added, stepping forward to touch her horn to his. "You asked me today if your life has had meaning. You asked if you have made a difference if what you have accomplished can be swept aside so easily. You were on your way to finding that answer yourself, but I think you have a better answer, now, than anypony could hope for. A leader's greatness is measured in the greatness they inspires in others. Looking at those gathered before you, I would say that you have done so. Every pony here has been inspired by you in some way, great or small. As proof of this, I say without exaggeration that no pony here was given orders to attend this ceremony; every one of them is here by their own choice."
As his wife stepped back, he found that he could not speak for the lump in his throat, nor could he fight the tears that collected in the corners of his eyes. Fortunately, he was saved from having to speak as Ocean Mist snapped to attention and called out.
"Royal Guard! Attention!"
As one, the assembled ponies snapped to attention, their relaxed postures taking on military perfection in an instant.
"Recite... Creed!"
By the Strength of the Sun!
By the Grace of the Moon!
Let our honor be beyond reproach.
Let our lives be lived in service to others.
Let our spirits give hope in times of hopelessness.
Let our deaths have meaning.
Even as we stand apart, we stand as one!
By the Strength of the Moon!
By the Grace of the Sun!
So say we all!
The words echoed across the grounds with such conviction, it would have sent a rampaging dragon into a fearful withdraw and Shining Armor found himself speaking the Guard Creed along with them. As the echo receded, he found himself smiling as he shed tears that only near bursting joy could bring forth, no longer caring about appearing strong before such a display and he raised his foreleg in a precision military salute that was returned a thousand times over in perfect synchronization.
Steeled, but lightened, he lowered his hoof and turned to face the setting sun, motioning for Ocean Mist to stand before him.
"Lieutenant Ocean Mist," he stated proudly. "As my final duty as your Captain, I proclaim this to be the Changing of the Guard. To you, I offer the title, office and rank of Captain and the leadership of the host of the Equestrian Royal Guard. In my eyes, I find you worthy of this. Under the witness of your fellow guards, the Bearers of Harmony and the Princesses of Equestria, do you accept this which I offer?"
"I, Ocean Mist," she replied, her voice equally proud. "Do hereby accept the rank, responsibility and burden that you place before me, Captain Shining Armor. May I wear it with the same grace and honor that you have these many years."
Nodding silently, he turned to Dawn Scout, motioning for the filly to step forward and as she did so, she sank to her knees in one smooth motion, lowering her head respectfully to expose the Captain's helmet fully to view. Reaching out, he took hold of it not with his magic, but with his hooves and lifted it from the pillow atop the cadet's back. Raising it over Mist's head, he lowered the object slowly as he spoke his final lines.
"I, former Captain Shining Armor, accept your words and find them true. It is my honor, to name you, Ocean Mist, as Captain of the Equestrian Royal Guard."
As the helmet, already sized in the same fashion as the armor, came to rest upon the younger mare's head, a swift flash of light surrounded her, changing her coat from white, to brown, to grey, to black and finally back to her own seafoam green as she saluted Shining Armor smartly. Flaring her wings as she lowered her hoof, the new Captain turned to her assembled guards and stepped forward to meet with a thunderous applause.
"Royal Guardponies of Equestria! Princesses of the Sun, Moon and Love, Bearers of Harmony and your families, under the tenure of your former Captain, much was changed in the structure of the Guard, we have grown and adapted in ways previously undreamt of and it is my hope that we will continue to do so for many years to come. When we come into this family, we leave behind who we were and become something greater, and yet we never forget the roots from which we are born. I will not forget the lessons that I have been taught, nor the honor that you have all shown this day. The duty of the guards are sometimes thankless, but they are never forgotten, for our duty is to Equestria and that duty never truly ends."
Shining Armor moved to step away during the next round of applause, but stopped as Ocean Mist raised her foreleg, signalling him to wait before calling for silence as she began to speak once more.
"A moment, Shining Armor," she called, earning a few murmurs amongst the ranks but a warm smile from the Princesses. "Step back please."
He blinked but moved back to his former position as she turned to him.
"Shining Armor," she said. "I find that in your wake, I have exceptionally large horseshoes to fill... and despite my oath and your faith in me, I know in my heart of hearts that I am not yet ready to do this alone." At his confused expression, she nodded to Celestia who, smiling, stepped forward.
"Shining Armor, it is known to all of us that the path you now stand upon was not chosen by you, bur rather for you because of laws which are as old as the guard and to break them now would set a bad precedent, even for one so beloved as yourself. However, in the case of your resignation, the age restrictions placed upon you applies only to active duty guards who, as you know, are the only guards who hold any official rank within the organization."
At her words, the murmurs completely faded away until the only sound was the warm breeze that lightly wafted across the grounds, ruffling manes and fur as the implications of what was said began to sink in to all those gathered. With a nod, the Princess of the sun stepped back to let Ocean Mist continue.
"Shining Armor, you have given more to the Guard than can easily be quantified during your tenure, and with the help of the Bearers of Harmony and by the will of the Princesses of Equestria, I would like to give something back to you in return." She paused to take a deep breath and he saw worry in her eyes as she continued. "It has been my honor to stand by your side as subordinate and friend these past twenty years and I would be privileged if you would now do me the honor of allowing me to refuse your resignation, and instead place you on inactive status so that you may serve as my adviser, until such time as you, yourself see fit to retire permanently."
"M.... Captain Ocean Mist, this... nopony has ever done this before," He said.
"Funny you should say that, as it seems that nopony ever thought to ask if there was a loophole in the age restrictions before."
As he listened, he saw the newly anointed captain nod towards Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor could feel his eyes widen with each word as panic -- liberally mixed with both hope and trepidation -- rushed through him like a tidal wave, his gaze sweeping across the gathered ponies who watched him expectantly. This was something he had never once expected and although it was not unheard of for retiring captains to find other jobs in the government, to be allowed to remain in the guard itself was unheard of until now. In some ways, it felt like it was breaking every rule of conduct for the organization, but at the same time, it felt as if every door he feared shut was opening once more.
In the end, he could say only one thing.
"Captain Ocean Mist, I would be proud to serve as your adviser, ma'am."
Smiling to him warmly, the worry fading from her eyes, she turned to her troops and nodded, calling for a presentation of arms as, like a wave, the Seventh company parted down its middle to reveal the path leading to Canterlot proper beyond, Shining Armor smiling as he trotted forward to stand beside Cadence.
"I expect you here on Monday at sunrise, Adviser." Ocean Mist said, grinning slightly.
He nodded to her and, falling in step with his wife, trotted forward through the ranks as one by one, the ponies on either side of him saluted his passing, pride swelling in his chest as his fears and worries melted away for the last time. No words seemed to come to him, for nothing seemed strong enough, but as he reached the far end of the grounds, he paused to turn and look at the assembled guards, no longer his, but still his family.
As the Bearers of Harmony stepped along the opened pathway to come to stand beside the royal couple, Shining Armor turned to each of them and smiled, his gaze lingering on his little sisters proud expression before he was able to find his voice once more.
"Thank you," he said. "Thank you all."
The words were as simple as they were heartfelt, but in years to come, the cheer they inspired would be said to have been heard all across Equestra.
The Guard had changed in more ways than one -- for better or worse, none could yet say -- and though it was time for the old guard to rest, it would not be one of any great length. Laws could tell a pony when they're service or careers were over, but nothing could ever tell a pony whether or not their duty had come to an end, for only a pony could truly decide such a fate for themselves.
And for a pony of the Royal Guard, their duty was never truly over.
Like a Shooting Star
I will go the distance
I Will search the world
I will face it's harms
I don't care how far
I can go the distance
Till find my hero's welcome
waiting in your arms...