//------------------------------// // The Weekend Off, Part Four: The Dinnertime Feast // Story: Sunset Eclipsed // by EldritchNexus //------------------------------// At six o'clock in the afternoon, it was time for dinner in the banquet hall. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Sunset Shimmer, her friends, Captain Star Shield, Radiant Dawn, and several off-duty guards and other attendants of the palace sat down together at the large table. Star Shield sat at the right side of Princess Celestia, since he was still substituting for Shining Armor. Radiant Dawn sat to the left of Princess Luna, where Star Shield was normally seated. Since Sunset Shimmer was Princess Luna's student, she was sitting to Radiant's left side. "So how was your first day back in Canterlot, little sis?" asked Radiant Dawn. "It's great to be back." said Sunset, cheerfully. "As you know, I wasn't able to get a good look at this place before I went to Fillydelphia. But now that I've had time to actually do some exploring, I'm starting to feel a little nostalgic." Radiant levitated a carrot off his plate, and took a large bite out of it. "You know..." he said, when he finished chewing. "This sure beats living at Daystar. All lonely and depressed..." "I know what you mean." said Sunset Shimmer in acknowledgment, after eating a leaf of lettuce. "But what I really can't believe is that I stayed away from here for so long. You probably don't know why yet..." To her surprise, Radiant Dawn nodded. "Actually, I know all about the human world." said Radiant. Sunset choked on her strawberry lemonade, and turned to her brother. "You do?" she questioned the orange-red stallion. "Yeah. They told me about the mirror." said Radiant, tilting his head to the Princesses. "And they also told me about your incident with Twilight Sparkle." "Oh, did they?" "And then I went down to Ponyville, and had a long talk with Twilight about the whole thing." Radiant continued. "And how did it go?" asked Sunset. "Well, I think I got the message through to her." said Radiant. "I told her how wrong it was for her to leave you in the human world like that. And she totally regrets it now." "So, that's what made Twilight Sparkle apologize to me like that!" Sunset exclaimed happily. "Thanks, Red. Give me a hoof-bump, my number one B.B.B.F.F.!" "What the hay is that supposed to mean?" asked Radiant, puzzled. "Big Brother Best Friend Forever. Um, it's something Twilight told me about when she was talking with me at the celebration about when she--" Sunset hesitated. "Never mind. Hoof-bump--Chop, chop!" Sunset raised her front right hoof, Radiant raised his front left, and pounded them against each other. The two exchanged an innocent chuckle, and continued eating their food. Meanwhile, Captain Star Shield was conversing with both of the Princesses. "Your majesties, I have a suggestion that could strengthen the Night Guard." the pegasus captain told them. "Then let's hear it, captain." said Princess Celestia, who placed her undivided attention on Star Shield. "Whatever you wish of us, I am certain we could deliver it." agreed Princess Luna. "Well, I was thinking about perhaps reviving the Shadowbolts." said Captain Shield. "The what?" Celestia asked. "The Shadowbolts were my minions when I was Nightmare Moon." explained Luna to her sister. "They appeared as a team of pegasi in black fight suits. They attempted to persuade Rainbow Dash to abandon her friends when they were searching for the Elements of Harmony. When Rainbow won the Best Young Flyer competition in Cloudsdale a couple of years ago, I decided to send one of those uniforms over to her as a reward for saving your Wonderbolts. She even wore it as a costume when I visited Ponyville during last year's Nightmare Night." "I see, little sister." said Celestia, with a nod. "But captain, are you sure the Shadowbolts would be necessary? I mean, we already have my Wonderbolts. Don't you think it would be redundant if we had another acrobatics team stationed in Canterlot?" "That's not what I had in mind, princess." Star Shield shook his head. "I have a more military-oriented role in mind, should the Shadowbolts be remade." "What manner of role would you suggest?" questioned Luna. "Think of it as an elite division of the Night Guard, reserved for the best of its pegasus guards." said Star Shield to the Princess of the Night. "They would wear the flight suits of Nightmare Moon's Shadowbolts, but would participate in more covert activities in your name. That is, reconnaissance, espionage, and so forth." "It does sound like an exciting idea." Luna nodded. "But it would mean searching for even more recruits than usual. Are you sure you are up to commanding that many different guards at once?" "Well, I don't intend to have the Shadowbolts answer directly to me, but rather to you." said Star Shield. "I would suggest they have their own ranking system, separate from the rest of the Night Guard. That includes their leader being a captain, who would answer to you the same way that I do as the captain of your guard." "That sounds like a most interesting concept." said Luna. "I shall approve of this. Though you will have to train the first few recruits yourself." "Thank you, princess." said Captain Shield. "I shall begin next week. I already know who will be my first recruit." He turned to look at Lightning Dust, who was sitting down the far side of the table between Trixie Lulamoon and Flash Sentry. Radiant Dawn, who finished his meal, went up to Star Shield. "Captain, sir!" he saluted. "I am ready for the night shift." "At ease, lieutenant." said Star Shield. "I am going to sleep once Princess Celestia declares that the feast is over." "But sir, the night shift begins at that time!" pointed our Radiant. "You'll need to be awake by then." "Now while I am standing in for Shining Armor, I won't." "But who will be in charge of the Night Guard?" Star Shield shook his head. "Isn't it obvious, Lieutenant Dawn?" he asked. "Tell me, who is the highest ranking member of the Night Guard, apart from me?" Radiant twitched his ear, and looked around the room. "It is you, lieutenant." said Star Shield. "I am placing you in charge of her majesty, Princess Luna's night guards for the weekend. That's why you sat where you were just a minute ago. That's where I usually sit at the dinner table. It's the captain's chair, you see." "So you're making me a captain?" asked Radiant. "Not quite." said Star Shield. "But I am sure you will make a fine captain one day. But I am still in charge of the Night Guard. But since I'll be active for the day shift this weekend, I won't be able to be awake to make the usual rounds. So I am relying on you, one of my best guards, to handle things while I am asleep." "Thank you, sir." said Radiant Dawn. "I will do my best." "I know you will." nodded Star Shield. Radiant went back to his sister. "Guess what, Sunny?" "What is it, Red?" Sunset asked. "I'm in charge of the Night Guard for the weekend, starting tonight." said Radiant. "Wow, that's great." smiled the yellow unicorn. "So, are you nervous at all?" "A little." said Radiant. "But Captain Star Shield said it's only until Shining Armor comes back to Canterlot. So, it's all good, I guess. I'm sorry I wasn't able to be with you for most of the day, today. But I was really tired, between all the traveling, the celebration, and last night's shift. You get the idea. So, is there anywhere you'd like the two of us to go tomorrow?" "Sure." said Sunset. "How about Ponyville? I'd have gone down by myself, but I'm a little nervous about going down there alone, since it's Twilight Sparkle's hangout and all. Oh, and how about Lightning Dust and Trixie come with us, too? I think they have a few things to settle down there." "Sounds good to me." said Radiant. "I met some ponies down there. They're actually pretty nice. We shouldn't run into any problems down there." "Are you sure?" Sunset asked. "Sure, I'm sure." Radiant grinned. "Would your B.B.B.F.F. or whatever you call it, lie to you? Besides, they've got some great food down in Sugarcube Corner. Some of the best darn cupcakes I've ever had in my life. You've gotta try one when we go down there." "Then I'll do it for you, big brother." said Sunset, before hesitating and then raising a hoof in a salute. "I mean Lieutenant Dawn." Then she turned her head left and right. "Um, it looks like everypony's clearing up." said Sunset. "You'd better check your schedule with Princess Luna." Radiant Dawn turned around, and saw that the other ponies in the banquet hall were now leaving. Some to go to their sleeping quarters, and others to get to their jobs. Princess Luna turned her head to look at him. "Lieutenant, I trust Captain Star Shield has informed you of your task?" questioned the moon princess. "He certainly has, ma'am." said Radiant. "I'm ready for my job." "Yes, and you may begin by escorting my student--your sister--to her bedroom." said Luna. "I trust you two will enjoy each other's company." "Yes, princess." nodded Radiant Dawn. Radiant turned to Sunset Shimmer. "Ready to go upstairs, sis?" asked Radiant. "You've got it, brother." answered Sunset. "Just let me have a word with the princess." "Sure thing." Sunset Shimmer approached Princess Luna. "Ah, how was your dinner, Sunset?" asked Luna. "It was delicious." smiled Sunset. "And I have to say that I like Captain Star Shield a lot. He's actually pretty cool for an old pegasus. Too bad I never took the time to talk to him when I was still your sister's student. Where is he now?" "He has already retired to his sleeping quarters." answered the princess. "And Trixie and Lightning Dust have also gone to bed, in case you were wondering." "Well, then I'd better get upstairs, too." said Sunset. "I'm going down to Ponyville tomorrow. I'd hate to get on the wrong hoof with Twilight Sparkle's friends over a little sleep-related crankiness." "Good night, my student." said Luna. "And good luck with your visit to Ponyville." "Thanks, princess." said Sunset. "And good night to you, too!" Radiant Dawn and Sunset Shimmer went up the stairs together. The two of them stopped outside Sunset's bedroom. Radiant took a moment to walk over to the one next to Sunset's. "See, Sunny?" Radiant pointed the door out. "This is my bedroom. I'll be right next door to you, whenever my shift is over. If you have anything you'd like to tell me, I'll be in there for you." "Well, that's great!" beamed Sunset. "It'll be like old times!" "That, it will." smiled Radiant. "Well, duty calls. I'll be making the captain's rounds all night, but don't worry. I'll have one of Princess Luna's bat-ponies stand guard outside your door." "Oh, those guys." muttered Sunset, remembering the ones she saw when Luna took her into their cave to train. "But wait a minute! I thought they only come out after midnight! That is, unless Princess Luna herself told them to..." "Well, that's the thing." said Radiant. "I'm able to get them to listen to me." "You're joking!" Sunset stared skeptically at her brother. "Not at all." said Radiant, before turning his head to whistle. When he did so, a gray bat-winged pegasus in full armor suddenly swooped down from the dark end of the corridor. It dropped down between the two siblings. Sunset gasped, but Radiant just smirked for a moment. "How do you think I got into the Night Guard in the first place?" Radiant questioned his sister, before turning to the bat-guard. "Sergeant, you're going to keep an eye on my sister while she sleeps. If she needs anything from you, you'll give it to her. Do whatever she asks you to do. And above all, don't let anypony suspicious enter her room without checking with you first. Understood?" "Yesss, ssssir..." hissed the bat-pony. "Good night, Sunset." said Radiant, who turned to leave his sister with her nocturnal bodyguard.