Twilight Sparkle was a pony dedicated to her routine, and her routine dictated her morning start with a cup of coffee. Holding her cup aloft with magic, she sipped the aromatic drink and mentally patted herself on the back. She could still brew a damn good cup of coffee. The first item on her morning wakeup routine satisfied, she relaxed against one of the many windowsills in the kitchen and allowed the hot drink to wake her groggy mind.
From her vantage point, she could easily see the moon resting just above the horizon complete with its accompanying stars. It took a moment for her to recall she was awake far earlier than usual. Today was a very special day, after all. She smiled and stared out at the night sky. It filled her with a sense of comfort she didn’t have a few months earlier.
“Enjoying the view?” Luna whispered from the shadows before walking into view.
Twilight yelped and nearly dropped her coffee. Steadying herself against the wall, she turned around with a flustered smile. “Princess Luna! I didn’t expect to see you in the kitchens.”
“It’s quite alright, Twilight Sparkle. I’m used to your company when the stars are out. Though, usually you’re stargazing outside instead of in a kitchen.”
Ruffling her feathers, Twilight blushed and returned her gaze to the pre-dawn sky. “Well, I woke up really early, and none of the cooks were awake. I really needed a cup of coffee, so I came down here and brewed a pot myself.”
Nodding, Luna strode forward to the window arched her head up toward the sky. She placed her mostly eaten slice of cake on the window-sill and smiled at Twilight. “It’s lovely.”
“Oh! Yes! I love your stars, Luna. They’re always so pretty. Even Rainbow thinks they’re nice. She said something about how they twinkle on my eyes.”
“Twilight, you misunderstand. I meant this.” Luna raised her own coffee cup and winked at Twilight. She brought the cup to her lips and sipped a little more of the warm beverage. “I must admit, I’ve always prefered my coffee a little stronger. But, I’m finding the smoother taste with a touch of sweetness to be very enjoyable. No wonder my sister seems particularly keen on sampling it. She’s going to be jealous when she learns I got the first taste.”
“First taste of what?” Celestia plodded into the kitchen still adorned in her pajamas and nightcap. Yawning widely, she wandered over to the pot of coffee and poured herself a sizable cup. She leaned down and inhaled the rich flavor deeply, the snappy scent slowly waking her from her morning haze. Satisfied with the aroma, she brought the cup to her lips and sampled the beverage. Her eyes widened in surprise as she tasted it again. “This is really good, did you make this, Luna?”
The barest hint of a smile spread across Luna’s lips as the she shook her head. Taking a long meaningful sip of her coffee, she leveled her gaze at Celestia. “Sister, I’m surprised. Have you not tasted Twilight’s wonderful coffee for yourself? Even though you’ve been her mentor for years?” She waited just long enough for the implication to sink in before adding, “I find it absolutely delicious.”
The liquid in Celestia’s cup quivered ever so slightly. Her irritation tempered by centuries of practice, Celestia responded smoothly and at a measured pace. “Luna, my dear sister, I can understand why you might prefer the first cup of coffee because of its freshness. But, I would rather have a matured cup of coffee.”
Twilight shuffled uncomfortably between the two princesses in the midst of a verbal fencing match. It was obvious Luna was a little grumpy from being up all night and Celestia was a little grumpy from having to wake up to raise the sun. The combination of the two always led to interesting breakfast conversation. Except, this time, the focus somehow revolved around her simple desire to have a nice cup of coffee.
Not wanting to be caught in what might be a solar-lunar-pocalypse, she scurried between the two princesses to defuse the situation. “Luna, I’m glad you like my coffee, but wouldn’t you like to get some rest after handling Night Court?” Twilight spun around the other direction. “And Celestia, the sun really needs to be raised. Ponies will wonder why the sunrise was late.”
Luna sighed and glanced away. “I just wanted some coffee, seeing as I must stay up for Rainbow Dash’s ceremony later on today.”
Celestia nodded in agreement. “And I was on my way to raise the sun when I smelled your wonderful coffee, Twilight. I thought we could have a nice friendly chat on the progress of your studies before my duties.”
Flustered, Twilight backed up a few steps and eyed the exit to the kitchen longingly. “Oh! Well...that’s considerate of you, Luna. I’m sure Rainbow will appreciate it. And I’d love to stay and chat, Celestia, but I really need to go see Rainbow, since it’s her graduation day. So, if you don’t mind...”
Celestia nodded with a smile.
“Thank you!” Twilight nearly galloped to the door. “You two are welcome to the rest of my coffee!”
After Twilight disappeared, Celestia directed her smile back to Luna. “Luna, I thought we agreed only I would be allowed to tease Twilight.”
"We did. But I’m not teasing Twilight, I’m teasing you,” Luna responded with a smirk.
“Touché, my dearest sister. However, seeing as today is Rainbow’s graduation, a truce?” Celestia extended her forehoof toward Luna.
“Agreed.” Luna grasped Celestia’s hoof with in her own and shook vigorously.
“Wonderful! Now to have my morning slice of cake and raise the—” Celestia stopped speaking abruptly and she raised her head over the door of the refrigerator. “Luna, have you seen the slice of strawberry cream cake I was saving?”
Luna giggled and dropped the now empty cake plate into the sink. Skipping out the door, she responded in her best sing-songy voice, “Truce!”
* * *
The two pegasi guards at the entrance to the barracks watched Princess Twilight’s approach with a touch of apprehension. As they raised their hoofs to salute her and announce her presence, she raised her own hoof to her lips to shush them. Confused, they glanced at one another before back to the princess.
“I need to get inside, quietly. So, if you don’t mind letting me pass?” Twilight blushed ever so slightly and smiled her most innocent smile.
Nodding dumbly, they held the door open for the Princess and she disappeared inside with the softest of giggles. Once the door was safely shut, the guard on the right spoke up while keeping his eyes forward. “What was all that about?”
“I think it’s the new captain.”
“The rainbowed-maned one?”
“Yep. Apparently the princess and the captain are good friends.”
“Huh, could’ve fooled me. Are all alicorns this nutty?”
“Shh! Not so loud, you’ll get us in trouble.”
Luckily for them, Twilight was well out of hearing range and sneaking her way across the barracks. All around her, sleeping guard ponies snored and stirred in their beds just before sunrise. She snuck toward the back of the barracks, fully intent on surprising Rainbow on the morning of her graduation. That is, if she could find Rainbow. She peered through the low light looking for any sign of her captain, but it was rather difficult to distinguish colors with so little light.
Feeling her frustration building, Twilight picked up the pace of her search until her golden shoe caught on one of the floorboards. Twilight tripped and flew through the air directly onto a sleeping pony. Her crown clattered to the floor and she lost two of her other golden shoes in the process.
Woozily, she raised her head and found herself face to face with a blushing orange pegasus stallion. She blinked her eyes and stared into the blue eyes of the wincing stallion beneath her—her mind frozen for the moment. Coming to her senses, and not wanting to crush the poor guy, she tried to find some footing in the bed with her hooves but a pained yelp from the stallion beneath her halted all her movements. She glanced back and noticed her left rear hoof rested in a very peculiar spot between the stallion’s legs. A blush filling her cheeks, she tumbled back off the bed and landed on the barrack’s floor with a resounding thump.
“Sorry!” She winced and glanced at the bottom portion of the bed and back up at the still wincing stallion. “You aren’t hurt, are you?”
“I...I’m fine, Princess,” he responded weakly before collapsing back into his pillow.
Twilight sighed and gathered up her crown and adornments with her magic. Still no Rainbow. And if things couldn’t get any better, she nearly crushed some poor stallion’s...she couldn’t finish the thought and shook the offending hoof uncomfortably. She didn’t want to think about it anymore, and instead focused on looking for Rainbow.
“Twilight? What are you doing in the guard barracks?”
Busted.
“Oh! Hey, Rainbow...sorry for the commotion. I wanted to be the first to congratulate on you on your graduation day.” Twilight blushed and looked at the groggy pegasus who seemed completely unaware and was in the process of rubbing her eyes with a hoof. “And, I guess I just wanted to say thank you. For sticking through it all. It was a lot of work between combat training and officer school.”
Rainbow grinned and waved a hoof casually. “It was no biggie, Twilight. I promised you.” She climbed out of bed and grasped Twilight’s un-shoed hoof within her own forehooves. “And I stick to my promises.” The closeness they shared at that moment might have contributed to the slightest blush creeping onto Rainbow’s cheeks, but she brushed it off. Even if they had spent nearly every free moment together for the past few months, she was just Twilight’s loyal captain. And Twilight was just her beautiful princess.
Drawing back from Rainbow, Twilight smiled and nodded. “I understand. You’re welcome to join me for breakfast. All of our friends will be coming from Ponyville to watch you graduate. I wrote the letters and mailed the tickets myself.”
Still blushing a little, Rainbow bounced on her hooves excitedly. “That sounds awesome, Twilight! Though, maybe we should probably continue our conversation some other time.” Rainbow glanced around and smirked. “I think your fall and our conversation woke the whole barracks.”
* * *
“Oh my gosh! This is so exciting!” Pinkie leaned her head out the window of the train car and sniffed the passing air. “I can almost smell the excitement from here!”
Applejack pulled her hat up over her eyes and looked out the window dubiously. “Pinkie, just what does excitement smell like?”
“It smells like cookies right before they come out of the oven. It smells like fireworks right before they’re about to go off. It smells like the moment right before a kiss!” Pinkie giggled and shook the box of bits she carried with her.
“Right, if you say so, Pinkie.” Applejack smiled and shook her head.
“I must agree with Pinkie though, I’m feeling a little worked up myself.” Rarity retrieved a golden laced invitation from one of her many pieces of luggage. “Just look at how much time Twilight put into these invitations. Hoof-written and embossed. We must do everything we can to make this a momentous celebration!”
“Oh, I hope it won’t be too loud.” Fluttershy spoke up from the other side of the train. “I want to be able to hear the vows.”
“The vows! Of course! How could I have forgotten those?” Rarity swooned back in her chair and looked dreamily up at the ceiling. “It’s really romantic, to have a captain pledge her duty to her princess. I wish somepony would pledge something to me.”
Pinkie popped up next to Rarity and grasped her hoof with all the seriousness mandated for a vow. Leaning in just far enough to make Rarity a touch uncomfortable, Pinkie announced with absolute solemness, “I pledge to throw a stunnerific party tonight for you.” She kept the act up for a couple more seconds before snorting in laughter.
Rarity smiled and shook her head. “Pinkie, dear, that was very sweet of you. I’m sure we’ll all enjoy whatever party you have planned for Rainbow Dash’s graduation.”
The train whistled as it pulled into Canterlot station. A carriage arranged by Twilight waited for them just outside the station. When they arrived at the castle, they followed the crowds of ponies to the parade ground just outside the castle walls. Celestia stood at the front of the parade ground on a raised platform, with Luna and Twilight at her side.
Celestia took a few steps forward to the microphone set up on the stage. “Citizens of Equestria! I am proud to present the graduating class of the Royal Twilight Guard, formed following the coronation of Equestria’s newest princess, Twilight Sparkle.”
On cue, the massive doors leading from the castle grounds into the parade ground opened. Two veteran guards bearing the standards of Twilight and Equestria marched forward, the flags fluttered beautifully in the wind. The military brass band followed the honor guard, each of their instruments polished to a brilliant sheen. Finally, the recruits marched out, twenty unicorns with twenty pegasi flying directly above them.
The recruits marched forward and halted in front of the raised platform where the Princesses waited. Rainbow issued an order from the head of the column and all the recruits present rotated ninety-degrees to face the princesses. They stood and flew stiffly at attention in ranks two deep and ten wide.
Rainbow issued another order and every other pony in the front rank took a step forward and every other pony in the back rank took a step back. The pegasi followed suit, with every alternating pony in the front rank flying forward one and every alternating pony in the back rank flying backward one step. Rainbow shouted one last order, and all the pegasi landed in the gaps created by the unicorn guards below.
Princess Celestia cleared her throat and delivered a short speech on the values and convictions of the guard. Luna followed with a short speech on understanding subtlety and the honor of the guard. Finally, Twilight stepped forward with tears in her eyes and thanked the recruits for all the effort they put forth and how honored she was to have them as her personal guard. All the guard ponies saluted the princesses and the graduation ceremony was over.
Applejack looked around at the dispersing ponies and blinked. “Well, that was, um...”
“...rather anti-climatic?” Rarity concluded and looked up toward the stage, but Twilight had disappeared.
Fluttershy held up her invitation and pointed a hoof at it. “Girls? Maybe we’re supposed to go to this special ceremony on the invitation cards?”
“Of course! The princesses wouldn’t just invite everyone to a pledging ceremony. It’s a very intimate and special event for a captain and her charge.” Rarity looked around to gather her bearings. “We must make haste! Rainbow Dash would be awfully disappointed if we weren’t present for her big moment.”
“Miss Rarity?” A guard tapped Rarity lightly on the shoulder.
“Yes?”
“I’m your escort to the Hall of Vows. Please follow me.” The guard responded curtly.
The group followed the guard through the main entrance into the castle and up a grand staircase to the second level. After passing through a series of arched doorways, they entered a grand hall lined with stained glass and marble columns rising up to the ceiling. Celestia and Luna stood quietly at the far end of the hall with Twilight in the middle. Rainbow in full regalia stood at attention in front of Twilight.
“Please observe from here.” The guard whispered and halted just a few feet into the room. The heavy doors closed behind them, sealing them from the outside world.
“Princess Twilight Sparkle, please step forward,” Celestia articulated calmly.
Twilight took a few steps forward.
“Royal Guard Rainbow Dash, please step forward,” Celestia continued.
Rainbow took a few steps forward and faced Twilight.
“Rainbow Dash, please continue with your vows.” Celestia smiled and took a step back.
Rainbow took a deep breath and looked Twilight in the eyes. It was finally happening, after months of training, classes, and insane Viktor, she was finally here. Looking back, her experiences with Twilight was nothing short of extraordinary. She’d been worried she wouldn’t be able to remember her vows, but now, looking at Twilight, they resounded clearly in her mind.
“I, Rainbow Dash, swear to serve and protect Princess Twilight Sparkle through pain and hardship. If any harm may befall her, may it fall to me instead. I promise I will be faithful and loyal to my princess and never cause her harm. Before Celestia and Luna, I swear this creed. I am valiant of deed, true in friendship, and faithful in love to the very end.”
Celestia turned to Twilight. “Do you, Princess Twilight Sparkle, accept these vows and accept Rainbow Dash as your captain?”
Twilight breathed out slowly and stared at Rainbow Dash. The pegasus had adopted a bowing position and she could not see into Rainbow’s eyes. But every word spoken filled her with a warmth and comfort she didn’t know existed. Her cheeks burned and every part of her body wanted to rush out and embrace Rainbow. To thank Rainbow for everything she accomplished and everything she promised to accomplish.
With an unsteady voice, Twilight barely managed to whisper out her response.
“I do.”
Smiling broadly, Celestia fanned open her wings and showered them with a radiant light. “Then I pronounce you, Rainbow Dash, Captain of the Royal Twilight Guard. May the Magic of Friendship guide and protect you both.”
Rainbow raised her head and walked up to Twilight. Taking her princess’ hoof in her own, she smiled and blinked away the mistiness in her eyes. “I meant every word, Twi. A promise is a promise.”
“I know you did,” Twilight whispered back. “My captain, my Rainbow Dash.”
