The Greatest Forces of the Royal Army

by Blue Spark

Chapter 2

The Greatest Forces of the Royal Army
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic © Hasbro & Lauren Faust
Pretty sure Hasbro owns Transformers too...
By: Blue Spark

Megatron glared.

He glared at every corner of the hallway they walked.

He glared at the guards posted along the way.

He glared at the maids as they tried to go about cleaning the castle. (Or at least the ones with enough courage to move underneath his excruciating gaze.)

He even glared at the colored tiled windows that they passed by.

Quite frankly, it didn't take a genius to figure out that he was pissed.

Now, some would think that it would be obvious to tell, he always looked pissed, but despite his hardened gaze on the outside he was unusually more pissed than usual.

More pissed than a pregnant mare with irregular bowel movement after drinking a whole bunch of soda.

"I can't believe how much of a waste of my time this is..." He thought darkly as he glared at the back of Shinning Armour's head, who's ear would twitch every now and then to express his nervousness in the silent walk.

A glance to his right showed him that Optimus looked as impassive as ever, though once in a while he would grunt in greating to another guard or nod hello to a random maid.

"I doubt the Princess's will be glad to hear of your little 'training exercise' from earlier." Shinning Armour stated.

Megatron could just imagine the smug look on the captain's face and it just proved to infuriated him further.

Why did he, the strongest soldier in all of Canterlot, have to take orders from some colt who acted like he just came out of boot camp! By the book, always following the rules. The little runt probably kissed the Princess's royal plot to get the position.

Megatron was an experienced soldier! He's fought in battles to the death, lead his battalion to victory more times then he can count, and not to mention he's been part of the Royal Army for more years then the runt could walk.

He should be Captain, not him.

As Megatron fumed he was brought out of his train of thought by a tap on his shoulder from Optimus, which he replied with a flick of his ear. He then drew his attention to the large solid gold doors that stood in front of them.

They have arrived.

After the guards saluted, Shinning Armour gave his order to open the doors.

"Open the doors, I have brought the Commanders of the Autobots and the Decepticons to meet with the Princesses." The Captain said to the two Unicorns posted beside the large doors.

They both nodded and with a glow of their horns they slowly opened the golden doors.

A second later, Megatron found himself, as well as Optimus and Shinning Armour, bowing in front of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.

Heh, bowing, the action still felt foreign to him, especially if he's the one doing it. He's not sure why, but for some reason he dislikes the sense of following orders when given to him, despite how much he drills it into his own men on it's importance...

With a gesture from Princess Celestia they rose, Megatron and Optimus Prime stood at attention while Shinning Armour began to recount the event that just took place, both awaiting for him to finish filling in the Princesses in on what they did 'wrong' this time.

"... And then from there I found these two" Shinning Armour points an accusing hoof at Megatron and Prime. "Fighting it out in the middle of the training field, dragging their soldier in and calling it a simple training exercise" He laces heavy sarcasm in the last words "And expect to get away with it with absolutely ZERO casualties, which there were by the way!" He finishes with a stomp of his hoof.

At the news, the Princess's reactions were mixed, Celestia's face was adorned with a frown while Luna just closed her eyes and sighed, rubbing her hooves on her temple.

"Is this matter really of such importance, Commander Shinning Armour, that it requires our immediate attention?" Luna said with an exasperated tone.

Shinning Armour almost looked a little put off by the Princess of the Night's relaxed behavior, his bravado shattered, while Celestia looked annoyed.

"Luna, you must take these matters in more consideration." She tittered.

"We don't know why the fact that our guards were training would require us to awaken so early this afternoon." She grumbled before glaring at Shinning Armour. "We were perfectly content asleep a few minutes prior, we do not take well as to being interrupted."

"B-but, they were-!" Shinning tried to argue but Luna waved him off with a hoof.

"We see that there is no need for us to be here so we shall return to our quarters, and we hope for your sake Captain that we are not awoken." She glared at Shinning Armour as she added the last part and exited the throne room, the large door resounding a large crack when they closed.

Celestia sighed as the Captain of the guard fidgeted slightly. Megatron's lips turned up slightly in a smirk while Optimus remained impassive.

"You'll have to excuse her Captain, as 1000 years ago such practice of combat was a normal occurance for our guard back then." Celestia apologized.

"That doesn't mean that having a miniature war in the courtyard is okay either." She continued as she frowned again at Megatron and Oprimus Prime.

"What reason have you seen fit to start such a fight?" She asked.

"Your Highness, if I may?" Optimus requested and continued when Celestia gave a nod. "Our troops relaxed, always unprepared. Training is light and nowadays they are more of a symbol and no longer a force to be reckoned with."

"And what proof do you have of that!?" Shinning Armour challenged.

Optimus shook his head and sighed as he motioned to one of the stained glass windows, this one depicting the Changeling invasion that happened not 6 months ago.

"The Changeling invasion is a testament to that... A foreign force that, even despite their numbers, we couldn't last against for more then an hour" Oprimus stated before turning to the Captain and continuing. "You were also under the affects of mind control while several guards were impostors."

"We were caught off guard and were unprepared! If we fought a force of that size and were ready we could easily have defeated them." Shinning Armour replied hotly.

With a laugh Megatron stepped forward and decided to add to the conversation.

"And that, my dear Captain, lies your problem." He smirked as he walked around the captain slowly.

"And what problem would that be?" Shinning Armour glared, his eyes following him slowly.

And quick as a blink Megatron was upon him, hoof raised and threw a punch towards the unsuspecting Captain who flinched back, only for the hoof to stop mere centimeters before his nose.

"This one."

Shinning Armour gulped and could feel the beads of sweat roll down his face, tensed up as Megatron slowly lowered his hoof back down and continue his slow circle of the now shaken Captain, acting as if nothing at all happened.

"Captain, you say that your stallions are strong, can hold their own, but what would be the point of them if they cannot even face the unexpected." He eventually stopped behind him and glared at the back of Shinning Armour's head.

"When you are unprepared you break down, become unfocused. If one thing does not go according to your plan then almost everything falls apart. Yes you are a capable fighter I suppose, top marks for a Unicorn of you age, and your plans almost never fail... But there is always the one unknown factor..." He crept up behind him and almost whispered in his ear, sending shivers down the Captain's spine with two little words.

"What if?"

"You cannot prepare for every unknown out come, what if the Elements of Harmony weren't there for the invasion. What if Twilight Sparkle was trapped in the Crystal Caves below the palace forever?" Megatron continued until he was now nose to nose with the captain.

"What if Mi Amore Cadenza was killed instead of imprisoned?"

That's it, that was the last straw. With a quick intake of breath the Captain of the Royal Guard sagged onto the floor, verging on hyperventilating as how dangerous the situation really was, and how much danger his fiance and his sister was in finally dawned on him.

"That's enough, Commander Megatron" Celestia said as she stood up, walking down from her throne to her Guard Captain. "I think you have made your point, but there is no need to bring up past wounds. You are correct that the guard need to be better prepared, but, you cannot have you soldiers having these brawls unregulated. I ask of you both that from now on that you take better care in the future with your 'training exercises'. You are dismissed." She ordered, as she watched the two Commanders quickly bow and exit before kneeling down and comforting her Captain.

"They're right... It was all my fault..." Shinning Armour gasped as he hugged himself, barely registering that his Princess was there. "I never even saw it coming... The signs, the headaches, even when some of the guard would disappear and then suddenly re-appear a few days later..." He sobbed.

"It's not your fault, you cold never have saw that coming. Not even I foresaw an attack that organized." She admitted, draping a wing over his Captain's back for comfort.

"But we could've... What would've happened to Cadence if Chrysalis killed Twilight instead of sending her to the caves. Oh my god, Twilight..." He cried again but was gently shushed by the ruler of the sun as she gently rocked him back and forth, hugging him and giving words of comfort.

After a good 15 minutes or so, the good Captain finally regained his compose and stood up, though his eyes were still stained with tears and he was hunched over a little instead of standing at attention.

"I-I'm sorry, your Highness... I don't know what came over me..." Shinning Armour bowed but was shushed as the Princess raised a wing.

"It is quite alright Shinning Armour, for not only are you my guard Captain but also my nephew in law." She smiled down at him. "Know that I am always here for you if you need me."

"Y-yes... Thank you..." He drawled out.

"Princess, may I ask a question?"

"Please, call my Auntie Tia, and ask away!" She replied with a giggle.

"Um... Alright, Auntie Tia..." He started, the words slowly rolling off the tongue, almost seeming foreign to him.

"Why exactly did you make me the Captain of the Royal Guard?" Shinning Armour asked nervously, but his question was met by a confused look. "You see, there are other Ponies more fitting for the job. For example Megatron is very powerful and strong with his words..." He shivered at the last part but continued. " Another would be Optimus Prime, he's just as strong as Megatron and has a good sense of justice. Either would make a good candidate and there are others just as qualified as them."

"Do you really want to know why I selected you?" Celestia asked, Shinning Armour nodding quickly.

"Well, it's supposed to be a secret, but you have the one thing that neither of them have, neigh, no one in the entire army has!" She said, her voice becoming a whisper.

"What? What is it I have?" Shinning Armour asked, leaning in.

Celestia motioned him even closer and he now stood face to face in front of her, turning his head and raising an ear to hear.

"Potential."

He visibly deflated at the word and backed up, rubbing his hoof against his ear as if trying to clear it better.

"I'm sorry your Highness but I think I must've misheard you... Did you say that the one thing that nopony else has in the entire Equestria Royal guard was potential?" He asked, hoping he was wrong.

"That's right!" She smiled.

"Oh..." He said, a little down. "But Princess, everypony has potential. Hay, that's even what they taught us at the academy. 'Everypony has the potential to be something great'." He recited.

"Ah, but no one has the sort of potential that you have my little pony. You see, it is true, everypony has potential but it can only go so far. You on the other hoof, have limitless potential, the power to accomplish great things that no-pony else can... It's hard to describe but it's almost the same potential that I see in Twilight, do you get what I am saying?" She asked but he just shook his head no.

"Well then, take for example the Changeling invasion, despite how taxing your body was after being mind controlled, as well as having your emotions fed on by Chrysalis, you and Cadance were still able to push back the Changelings and save all of Canterlot." She explained.

Shinning Armour off in the distance for a moment, deep in thought.

"So you mean to say that I have great magical potential just like my sister?"

"Not quite, while you sister has the potential for controlling magic I think you have the potential for raw, unrefined magic. Your magical reserves run deeper then you know Captain, and even though you may never pull off any of the spells that your sister can cast, you'll be able to cast normal ones at an almost unmatched magnitude.

"And that is not to say that magic is not the only thing I see talent in, you also have the talent to be a great leader. At such an age that you have taken on the role of a leader and have used it well I have seen you grow into the guard Captain you are today. Despite the mistakes you have had in the past, you're learning from them and evolving you views because of them. You still have much to learn so I wish to see you continue your growth in the future." As she finished she smiled down at a Shinning Armour who was now swelling with pride, the dark thoughts from before now long gone from his mind.

"Now if you'll excuse me Captain, I need to go find my sister and have a talk with her about her behavior from before." And with a quick bow she left the throne room through the golden doors, but before they could fully close behind her the Shinning Armour called back.

"Prin- I mean Aunty Tia! I wont let you down!" He shouted, saluting with a grin as the doors slowly closed.

"I'm counting on it Shinning Armour." She smiled before the doors closed and then continued to trot down the halls to find her sister.