Star Shield, Sunset Shimmer, Trixie, and Lightning Dust trotted into the courtyard, where several guards were sparring together. Flash Sentry, who was overseeing his comrades, turned to salute Star Shield.
"The captain is here! Attention!" he shouted.
Every guard in the courtyard paused, and joined Flash in his salute. Some began applauding excitedly when they saw which captain was there. Several of them were chattering with each other and exchanging satisfied looks, especially amongst the older members.
"No way, it's Captain Star Shield!" one unicorn guard exclaimed.
"Captain Shield, can I have your autograph?" a young-looking earth pony guard said loudly over the chatter.
"This will be an awesome training session, now that we've got Star Shield back!" one pegasus guard exclaimed.
"At ease, gentlecolts." Captain Shield said softly, waving his front left hoof in a circular pattern. "We go through the same thing every weekend, my comrades-in-arms. I am still just the Night Captain, as I have been for the past year or so. I am only here right now because your own captain is on leave until next week."
"Sir, what will you have us royal guards do this afternoon?" asked Flash Sentry.
"At the moment, I am only supervising your training regiment." said Star Shield. "You are still in charge of coordinating your subordinates, lieutenant. But I will step in if your recruits start tearing each other apart. Until then, all of you may resume your practice sessions. Now get going!"
Quickly, the royal guards went back to their training areas, and focused themselves twice as hard as before. Sunset Shimmer, who was standing next to Star Shield, stared in awe at the rapid boost in progress. Trixie and Lightning Dust went around the courtyard to observe the various guards.
"Well, I'll be darned..." Sunset commented. "I didn't think you'd be such a motivator, Captain Shield. What's your secret?"
"That, Miss Shimmer, is the power of respect." lectured the aging pegasus captain. "In time, you can earn it. Though it might take longer to win somepony over to your side than forcing them to join you, the results can prove to be worthwhile in the end."
"Yeah, I got that one about a month ago." mumbled Sunset. "This just seems...I don't know..."
Captain Star Shield sighed, then turned his head so that his obsidian eyes met the teal of Sunset's. Sunset Shimmer felt compelled to look back. The old pegasus had an understanding look in his stare, one that the young unicorn felt comfortable with.
"Miss Shimmer, how do you feel?" Star Shield asked simply.
"Confused, sir." answered Sunset Shimmer.
"How so, exactly?"
"Well, it's just that things seem to be running together." said Sunset. "Think about it: You used to be the captain of Princess Celestia's guards, and now you're the captain of Princess Luna's. I used to be Celestia's student, and now I'm Luna's. Even my brother tried training to be in the Canterlot Royal Guard, and now he's in the Night Guard. Don't you think that's a little odd?"
"Somewhat, yes." nodded Star Shield. "But at the same time, I think it is fitting that things have gone as they have."
"But...but...I was meant to be Princess Celestia's student." Sunset stammered quietly.
"Ah, but I was meant to have retired from Captain of the Royal Guard two years ago, and stayed as such." countered Star Shield. "But here I am now, overseeing their training."
"You know, Princess Luna's a great mentor and all..." said Sunset Shimmer. "But I just don't see the connection between the two of us. Not thematically, anyway. I mean, the word 'Sun' is in my name! Don't you think that I should still be with Celestia, the Princess of the Sun?"
"Ah, but what you seem to forget is that your name is Sunset." noted Captain Shield. "Sunset, the tail-end of the day. Just before the night begins. And then the beginning of the night, of course, is..."
"Twilight." finished Sunset. "I never noticed that connection until now. Heck, even 'sparkle' and 'shimmer' are close together in meaning."
"Indeed, you are true to your name." said Captain Shield. "You have passed from the day to the night, just as the sun sets into darkness."
"In more ways than one." frowned Sunset Shimmer.
Captain Star Shield stretched out a grayish-white wing, and patted Sunset's back with it.
"Now, don't you worry, Sunset." he said. "You are not alone. I am proud to serve under Princess Luna, but I miss serving under Princess Celestia, too."
"And how do you cope with it?" Sunset Shimmer asked.
"Well, it can seem complicated to understand," began the pegasus captain, taking a deep breath. "But there is more than one way to express one's loyalty to someone that matters to them. One could interpret loyalty as one who constantly remains at the side of those they care for, no matter what happens around or between them. But if one were to follow their example, even from afar, and still express how much they care for them, then that would make them very loyal, indeed."
"Like my brother." said Sunset, with a small smile. "Even after being sent away from Canterlot, and being separated from me for so long, he still came back for me when Luna sent him the letter."
"There you go, Sunset." said Star Shield, curling the end of his lip into a smile. "What I'm saying is that you can answer to one princess, yet follow the example of the other."
"Thanks, captain." Sunset grinned, climbing up to hug Captain Shield's neck. "You really inspired me."
"I am grateful that we had this conversation, young one." said Star Shield, in a grandfatherly manner. "Now if you'll excuse me, I think a pegasus across the courtyard just sprained a wing."
"Right." said Sunset, detaching herself from the captain.
Star Shield trotted around the sparring guards, and came up to the sore guard.
"Are you hurt, guardsman?" he asked.
"N-no, sir." winced the young pegasus, who was only seventeen years old. "It's just a stretch mark."
"Now, now." said the old pegasus. "I can tell that you have sprained it. Do not feel ashamed to admit it."
"Yes, sir." nodded the pegasus. "I think that last blocking motion took a lot out of me. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to..."
"What is your name?" asked Star Shield.
"Skywater, sir." answered the young pegasus. "I'm from Cloudsdale."
"Ah, yes." said the captain. "I hear that it is quite pleasant at this time of the year. Now allow me to take you down to the infirmary."
"I don't need it that ba--Ow! Ow, ow, ow..." moaned Skywater.
"No, I insist." said Star Shield, laying a wing aross the young guard's back. "It's just downstairs from here."
"Thank you, sir." said Skywater.
The two pegasi left the courtyard. As they entered the palace, Flash Sentry turned away from his recruits to look in awe at the selfless act of the captain. Sunset Shimmer and her friends followed suit, with Sunset and Lightning Dust clapping their hooves together.
Meanwhile, Lord Umbriel was pacing around Scarlet Blaze, who was staying laying on her knees.
"What do you mean, 'fifteen' years ago?!" demanded Scarlet.
"I mean that you were away from your family for just that long." said Umbriel. "Surely, you've noticed how everything seems so different from what it once was?"
"So, Golden Sun hit me with a time-traveling spell?" gasped the mauve unicorn.
"It would seem that way." nodded the Changeling. "Otherwise, it was a long-term freezing spell."
Suddenly, there was a clatter of metal in the room. There was a series of metallic taps that announced that something was approaching Scarlet and Umbriel.
"Ah, General Synthe." sighed Lord Umbriel. "I see you have made a full recovery. At least, as full as can be."
The disfigured Changeling came into view, and Scarlet couldn't help but gape at him. Synthe had a scowl on his scarred, half-covered face as he looked his master in the eyes. He inhaled the processed air out of his breathing-tube, and exhaled vigorously.
"My lord, I must express my gripes." he said in a low growl. "That is, about our meeting with Sunset Shimmer in Fillydelphia..."
"We shall not discuss it here." Umbriel stated, shooting a look at Scarlet Blaze.
Umbriel and Synthe left the chamber, and stopped in a dark, empty tunnel.
"Go on then, general." said Umbriel, in an invitational manner.
"Why would you deny me the chance to negotiate further with Sunset Shimmer?" asked Synthe. "I was so close to coming to a break-though with her--"
"Yes, I could see that..." snarked the Changeling lord. "When she nearly had you break through that door."
"I am serious, my lord!" stressed the Changeling general. "She could have helped me escape from my present condition!"
"You should not worry about making yourself better..." snapped Umbriel. "And instead be grateful that you are alive at this moment."
"But that is simply unfair!" countered General Synthe. "I hate having to live this way! I have at least twenty different objects running through my body to keep me alive, I can barely use any magic with this busted horn of mine, and I hate the fact that I have to inhale from this two-bit breathing device!"
"Would you rather have me remove all of them for you?" asked Umbriel, tilting his head to the side. "But of course, that would mean that you would die less than five minutes afterwards."
"I don't want to do that, either." said Synthe, speaking calmly. "But at the same time, I know that there is some way to restore my body to its original state."
"Well, forgive me for not realizing how spoiled a child you are." Umbriel moaned. "I saved you in the best way that I could at the time. You are still fit to fight, general. That is all that you need to concern yourself with at this time. Now if you are going to question my methods any further, I will surrender you to Queen Chrysalis. I'm sure my sister will want to know who my champion really is!"
"Very well." sighed General Synthe. "Forgive me, my lord. I guess I'm still aching from my scuffle with Sunset Shimmer."
"Synthe, you are to watch over our fine redheaded guest." said Umbriel. "It should not be too hard a task for you to accomplish. Now if you will excuse me, I need look into something on the other side of Equestria. I will return soon."
"Understood, master." said Synthe, raising an ironclad hoof in a salute. "I will look into the unicorn, and extract what information you may deem useful."
"Well done, general." said Umbriel, with a smirk. "Now get to your post."
Umbriel then extended his four dragonfly-like wings, and beat them so that he hovered in the air. He then shot away down the tunnel, and faded in the darkness. Synthe promptly turned to re-enter the chamber, grumbling about his own damaged wings.
On the human side of the portal, Corporal Ghost was standing in front of the horse statue where he confronted Sunset Shimmer several days before. He stared at it curiously, as if he was drawn by its presence. Suddenly, he heard some static in his portable communicator. He clicked it on.
"Corporal, the ballistic armor has been shipped to us." said the voice of Captain Umbriel. "The supply convoy is within Canterbury's city limits. Estimated time of arrival...impressive! Twenty seconds."
Suddenly, Ghost turned to see an armored military vehicle drive up to the school. Its back doors opened into a ramp. A Chrysalis Syndicate operative in light armor climbed out. He gave a salute to the corporal.
"The first suit's all yours, corporal." said the agent. "Oh, and the SombraTech ballistic armor's customizable."
"Well, happy birthday to me..." Ghost muttered to himself, proceeding up the ramp.
He found himself in an air-tight chamber, with a suit of heavy military armor on a stand. He stripped himself of his Changeling combat armor, and replaced it with the ballistic armor. Once the full set was on him, he flicked a dipswitch on the hip, and then typed a combination on the keypad built on the left gauntlet. A synthesized voice crackled through the wrist-mounted computer.
~SombraTech ballistic unit, Mark III activated. User identification: commencing.~
Suddenly, Ghost felt his right hand tighten inside the armored glove, and something sharp prickle his thumb and wrist from underneath the metal. He felt a surge of pain, followed almost immediately by numbness. Before Ghost could even contemplate what just happened, there was a loud blip, and a high-pitched whine from the computer.
~User identification secured. Name: Unknown. Callsign: Ghost. Combat HUD activated. Life-support systems activated. Oxygen levels at maximum capacity. Medical systems are standing by. Main unit battery at 100%. Back-up solar battery standing by. Unit personality: default.~
Ghost typed a special code on the keypad.
~Personality coding: accepted. Unit personality: Grim Reaper.~
Suddenly, the armor transformed. The color turned chalk-white, and several hydraulics shifted about, raising and lowering several areas throughout the suit. In seconds, the armor resembled a crude, ridged human skeleton. Even his mask was reshaped into what resembled a grinning skull with red eyes.
"Oh, I think I'll like this!" Ghost exclaimed. "I'd like to see the look on that stupid pony's face when she sees me now!"