William turned in a smart turn as his eyes stayed forward as he marched in front of alcove that had inside a thick wooden door that was shut and locked at the moment. He finished he walk, twenty steps forward. He stopped and brought his feet together and slowly marched stepped in a turn to repeat the same twenty steps on the length of carpet that was his post. He was at the moment guarding Princess Luna for the last hour of the night. In his hands his M16 was clutched. A round was chambered and his thumb on the safety he had orders to shoot anything that tried to get past him. Even his own guards if he had to. The only guard in the hallway till shift change was to be him. He stopped as he finished another twenty steps and did another march turn before starting it again.
during this time he kept his eyes alert and senses as well, yet he needed to keep things in his head under control he was still thinking about home again. As well as words from Princess Luna in that he should spend time to construct a place of refuge, a place that he could retreat to if he needed to gather his thoughts. Or contemplate. He paused bringing his feet together as he heard something and turned to the sound he glanced quickly to see that, well it was shift change. Sure enough the locks at a door at the other end of the hallway unlocked and a small flag was waved through the crack that was opened. William quickly turned and finished his last ten steps to reach the end of his post. He smartly did a left face to face the door. “Enter and present thyself for guard duty.” he moved to place the rifle a little bit so if anything happened he could fire back.
The attack that he was told that might happen never came as a lone Night Guard entered and at his side a sleepy Luna walked next to the guard and on her other side was her personal assistant. “Stand and deliver names and ranks.” William ordered.
This caused the veteran guard to blinked and looked annoyed, that was till he heard a click and saw the rifle move to point at them. “I say again all who approach the door must identify or be attacked as an enemy of Princess Luna.”
He did not really notice Luna smiling, however he did hear her voice. “Princess Luna, General Princess of all Night Guards.”
Her aid sighed and spoke. “Night Rose, personal assistant to her Royal Highness Princess Luna.” She giggled a little at having to go through this so many nights.
“Lunar Field Marshall Black Sky.” He sighed and looked at Luna. “Can you please just give them a book with faces on them and names?”
Luna only smirked. “Oh? I thought you said just on our way here that all the guards look the same, and so if you say that, how would a creature like William tell you from a private?” She smirked a little and turned to William. “Excellent, I trust nothing entered the hallway during the evening court and meetings?”
“None, Ma’am.” William replied with a curt nod of his head. He was told that this was a place of no saluting.
The Field Marshal looked like he was chewing nails. “Ma’am, this is Princess,” He was interrupted by a wing smacking him in the mouth.
“I know the proper words would be General Princess, however I am not a Princess over William, as such I felt that he could give me the same respect he would the Generals of his nation.” Before things would go too far out of hand or mainly hoofs with the Field Marshal, Luna looked at William, “Dismissed, please gather your things and report to the Lunar Station under the castle to board. You are being shipped off to my castle in the Everfree to help staff it and be there in case any latent Nightmares who escaped the full scale attack survived. Your travel orders and transfer notices are already on file and being sent on the train, as well as all your equipment, even those in the vault.”
“Yes Ma’am.” William fought a yawn but kept his bearings and moved crisply out of the hallway. He was wearing his dress uniform that Luna had made or commissioned for him to wear during her night courts. Yet he realized that other then that first night this was the second time he had ever worn the dress uniform. He heard Luna shake her head. “No, that is not right for him.” He did not stop to ask what she meant, rather he just placed the comment back into his mind for later pondering.
He went back to his room, during the time he took to think back on the last twenty four hours, mainly on the induction ceremony. While it was true that he was not being part of the military, his cover at the moment would have to be his Pony form being part of the military. He wondered if Luna liked the ceremony itself as frankly while optional, it seemed to him that Luna had put some emphasis on it, so he went ahead with it. While William Jefferson Howard was still free and what not. Nightstar was a part of the Lunar Guard and subject to following the orders. He also agreed because he was already getting cabin fever, yes it was a big castle, and lost to explore but he liked the idea of being out and about, and a little bit of having a little more freedom away from the Princesses.
As he approached his room he blinked in surprise as he found his stuff already being crated up. He looked at the stenciled information and saw that he and his gear were slated for transfer to Ponyville. Still he turned and still wearing the dress uniform he started to move down into the castle and towards the underground train station. As he slowly walked down the stairs he soon found other Night Guards as they all streamed towards their train. However as he walked, he blinked and noticed something hallways and doorways were blocked by Royal Guards of Celestia’s own. Being the emblem of a red sun nestled like in a nest of two wings spreading out underneath the mark. Another emblem from a thousand years back. Nightstar paused at a section of hallway as he was suddenly finding himself hearing the marching of hoofs from a side hallway as he turned to look to his side he saw a small formation of Celestia’s Own march around the corner and towards the small intersection in the combined barraks underground passages of the Castle. He was slowly realizing how many passages for the Castle actually went into the mountain and were out of sight. He also noticed at some hallways that their were slits or other defensive positions built into the mountain to hold off enemies who were trying to take these passages.
He found himself rather suddenly swept up it seemed in the formation, and found that he had to march with this group. He felt rather open, whereas before he felt like he could blend in the shadows and with his fellow guards to where one might not be sure how many were in a hallway, he stuck out like a sore wing with all the white coats and gleaming gold armor and the emblem on the front of their armor in the front of their barrel chest.
He gulped as he found himself heading towards a inspection room where officers were to be inspected he had gotten a tour from Spitfire during his first few days of training and now. He blinked as he saw Celestia pause in the hallway looking glum and serious as she saw her troops yet he found himself turning his head in worry as he tried to find another doorway to escape into. Yet he could not shake what he saw. IT appeared Celestia was or had been not focused at the last few seconds on her troops but on him, and her expression did not bring to him a feeling of a loving monarch towards a subject. He gulped a little, it almost felt like his mother had been staring him down after finding the sink full of dishes after being told they would be done.
He saw he escape at that moment and pushing those thoughts away he had to fly up into the air and down the passageway, landing and continuing the momentum down more flights of stairs and soon his ears were picking up the sounds of his destination and with an added boost of speed he rounded a corner and found himself entering the underground station.
What followed was akin to any other train station, only instead of humans there were ponies and they were all mingling, finding their coaches, While other ponies were loading gear into boxcars, as well as a few cranes were loading Luna’s Artillery which reminded him of 1700s cannons. He blinked as he heard his name called from another section of the cavern and he blinked before waving at a pink pony. “Hello Pinkie Pie.”
Pinkie Pie only smiled and jumped up and down shouting over the crowd. “Oh, this is so much fun, I mean we get to travel by secret train, never did that before… Hey you think we can have a secret train party on the train?”
He didn’t hear the rest of Pinkie’s questions as he felt a tug on his arm and he turned to see another guard. “Hello Sergeant.” He called to the Lunar Guard at his side.
“If you would follow me.” he replied, getting right to the point. “I shall lead thee to your coach.” Without another word the Sergeant began to walk away. William blinked and moved quickly to follow the guard. William soon found himself settling down into a seat that was next to the window. However as he noticed other guards were feeling like he was, sleepy and nodding off even before the train was departing. He blinked as he felt a hoof shake him and he looked around and then at the guard next to him. He saw also that they were still in the station. “Yes?” he asked while trying not to yawn at the same time.
“Why are you here?” The guard asked. “I mean, you don’t seem like you are trying to get home, if I ended up in another world I sure would be trying to find a way home.” The Guard William noted with a quick glance was a Private, but still he smiled a little at the question.
“I would like to try to go home, but frankly I was brought in during what appears to be a build up to a rather bad war that could spread to my world.” He closed his eyes. “Something that our nation tried to do in the past was to fight enemies abroad so that our homeland would not face the terror or taste of invasion.” He shook his head to wake up a little bit more. “I fight here so that hopefully we can beat them here and not risk them spreading to my world.”
“So,” The guard continued yawning as well. “Are you going to go home when this is done?” The guard blinked back sleep a little and opened his mouth. “I mean I would like to come back here. I would miss my family.”
William blinked and moved to look out the window as a steam whistle blew and soon the jolt of the train moving forward jolted some awake or like the guards in front of him, thrown into one another and they were still asleep. It was after the clicky clack became normal he spoke. “I would like to go back home. I would love to work on returning home… but I also know that I am making friends and inroads here that may very well require my return… so maybe a way for the two worlds to be connected like the tunnels we guards use?” He turned to look at the guard only to see him slowly nodding his head before his eyes shut for sleep. William smiled, lowered the blind on the window a little and settled in for a good three hour nap during their trip to Ponyville.
it felt like seconds later that he was roused from his slumber as the train slowed, and a few yelling at each other from the guards as they awoke to find their seat neighbor sleeping on their shoulders. William slowly tunned out the noise as he began to move his arms and legs. What he found interesting was that due to the rail car being built for Ponies he had more legroom than what he felt would have been a first class seat on most airlines. He smiled a little and waited till the train finished with the noisy breaking, bell ringing and the entire time William was smiling like crazy. He had just taken a train not as a tourist for the history of being on a steam pulled train, but as an actual means of transportation. It took him back to a few historic movies as well as a family vacation to the Durango and Silverton to celebrate his acceptance into the college he wanted.
He was jolted from his memories as the Guard next to him woke up and pointed to his neck. William sighed and nodded his head. He would miss the next few days to weeks being able to return to human, but this train was the last of the protection Luna could afford him. He tapped his pendant and found himself on the ground on all four hooves and he folded his bat wings after making sure that everything worked first. He slowly clip clopped off the train and onto the wooden platform of Ponyville train station. He looked around and from the few times he had seen it from the animation viewpoint he realized how much was missed, from the water tower a good few feet from the station to just how large the station was really. It also reminded him of a rather pastel colored representation of the United States’ Old West stations. He blinked and found himself prodded again by the same private. “Come on, you're holding up the line.”
William only nodded his head at the Guard, he could tell now that he was a natural threastle and as such he figured knew of the situation. He moved forward and moved towards a small herd of Guards as he watched rather strong draft like ponies hitching themselves up to the cannons and he saw a few Mortars lashed down on carts for transport. He shook his head. Just what was Luna planning to do with what he saw as a collection of howitzers, mortars, and regular canons. This was more fire power then he saw when they attacked the Sunny Town position he realized as he saw even more flat cars behind him. Then he saw the boxcars being unloaded with crates upon crates of supplies. So while waiting he counted the train from locomotive to the caboose, all painted and designed to reflect the Lunar Princess. What he found were eight boxcars, twelve flatcars, and five troop coaches. He could not see how the boxcars were loaded but to the flatcars they were loaded with both a Howitzer and a Mortar with four canons on either end. He was about to do the math when once more he was interrupted by a bugle call and he followed lead to line up into formation. He noticed from his peripheral vision that a small crowd was gathering to see this show of force from their Princess of the Night.
Nightstar remained at attention with his fellow troops as he received their orders. They were to march with guard in front of, and on either side, as well as behind the larger stallions who were being hitched to the artillery pieces, they were to then march around the town of Ponyville and enter the Everfree forest spur that lead to the borders of Ponyville from the left flank. Here the Moonbeam scouts will fall out and clear out any underbrush the grew during their absence from the previous maneuvers from Apple Acres. Plans were to arrive at the Lunar Castle by the second watch of the night. At which point they were to help garrison the castle with the skeleton crew left behind by Luna, and prepare the castle for Luna’s arrivial in one weeks time. What followed were orders and commands for different groups of guards to fall into their assigned formations.
Nightstar realized quickly that at the moment that he did not have an actual unit home yet and moved to take up the right flank position when an Officer stopped him. “Nightstar?” The Officer asked gruffly.
“Yes sir.” Nightstar replied with a nod of his head, he was not saluting as they all were in the field and Nightmares may very well be around watching this formation.
“You are to come with us, you are to march with the Headquarters of the Luna’s First.” Nightstar remember his lessons from the night before, the Luna’s First were all Thestrals and were the oldest regiment or Battalion in the Lunar Guard. “Well fall out and report to your correct post.”
“Yes Sir.” Nightstar muttered softly and fell out, he quickly found the HQ formation of Luna’s First. It had the flag with the different Campaign ribbons hanging from the pole. Which were many, many ribbons of different colors, and wording. He would enjoy reading the different events later. He quickly found a spot, which he realized was near the General of not just Luna’s First but also this entire expedition. The General gave a nod and snapped one wing open with a crack sounding like a whip. A bugle sounded and soon the entire formation started to march. While overhead they were followed by many curious Pegasi from Ponyville and along the path were ponies as well.
Nightstar blinked at he noticed a group of fillies and small colts, a group he remembered. “Oh no.” He muttered, which caused one of the Lieutenants next to him to give him a strange look. He almost asked before Nightstar answered him. “We are being trailed by the CMC, or Cutie Mark Crusaders, and well, according to Ponyville stories, and my own eyes, they… can be a rather big force of chaos, and destruction in some areas… Just talk to either Applejack or Rarity.” he chuckled. “It didn’t help that I had to secure their clubhouse from Nightmares who wanted them due to them not having found their special talent.” He trailed off as he looked back at the group and groaned. “They are following us, and seems they picked up a number of other children.”
“Don’t worry about it.” The Lieutenants muttered. “They won’t go beyond the Everfree Forest boundary.”
“Actually,” Nightstar began, “Applebloom has spent time in the forest learning from a Zebra named Zecora, at least that is what Applejack told me.” This made those around him fall silent and looked back at the ponies.
“Then,” The General spoke up startling the small group of officers who were talking. “We might have to keep an eye on them and make sure they do not get too much trouble over their heads.” He paused and looked to a Thestral who was his aid. “Make a note and see if Luna would not mind inviting these Crusaders to the castle, I believe she enjoyed meeting them during Nightmare Night last year.”
The rest of the march, was actually a little uneventful. As he was with the HQ part of the formation, he was not asked to help clear the way, nor to help with the artillery in the middle of the formation. He figured it was because he would have caused more problems then helped solve and that made him smile a little in that the commanders knew the strengths and weakness of their men. He also on the march learned about three new marching songs that he could add to his little memories. As for by the time they reached the castle walls he was getting rather good at repeating the cadence of words. He wondered if he could tell some of his own marches he learned in both ROTC and from the videos he saw from online. He smiled a little before finding himself marching with the HQ towards the front of the formation and there the entire Headquarters merged with the garrison’s HQ, and he saw a lot of guards lining up, the artillery pieces being pulled up to the back and he saw the gates closed to the outside world. Suddenly the General of the troops stepped forward and in a booming voice that echoed through the courtyard of the Lunar Castle drew all the ponies to attention.
“ATTENTION!” he shouted. He smiled at the sound of hoofs and armor moving as one to become statues before him. “As ordered by her Royal Highness and Supreme General of the Lunar Guards, Princess General Luna does hereby place The full Moon Beam Regiment in charge of the Lunar Palace.” He gave a signal and the Regimental flag was hoisted up over the castle on a flagpole that had been constructed recently. “Let all who approach know that Luna’s Personal Troops guard this site.” He smiled a little. “Dismissed, Find your bunks and rooms and them meet in the dining halls for dinner, Guard patrols and duties are already posted in the halls. REGIMENT!” Shouts carried through as it trickled down to Platoons. “FALL OUT!” with that the ponies shouted as one “Goorah.” Then they began to disperse to their own tasks, mainly heading to a large weapon train that had been pulling into the Castle now, it seemed the supply wagons were making their way through the front gates.
Nightstar jumped again as he heard his name called, this time from the General himself. “Nightstar, follow me, we have some things to take care of… seems your file has a few holes that got lost.” He turned and sighed as a small group entered the Castle walls through the gate. “Great… a Noble with his own hired troops, why we still have those laws allowing nobles raising their own small number of troops…” He stopped and looked at Nightstar. “Major!” he ordered and one of the Night Guards walked up and nodded his head. “Take Nightstar to the Regimental offices for the paperwork, I have to find out what to do with, House Timberwolf now that they decided to commit some of their lives to this cause.”
“Yes Sir.” came the crisp response from the Major before turning to face Nightstar. “If you would follow me sir, We shall take care of this right away.” The Major turned and began to walk away, but slow enough to allow Nightstar to catch up after a slight pause.
“Wait, sir? Are you saying I am being placed in as an Officer?” This was, this bode ill for him, he just hoped he got a good NCO that could teach him how to handle himself as an officer of men.
The Major looked to his side and at Nightstar. “You could say that, but you’ll learn more when we arrive at the offices and get this all hammered out.” Nightstar did try to start a few more conversations with the Major but they all were ignored and so, the last two hallways to what was about to become the new command center of this Regiment was finished in silence. Even when they entered the room, or rather suite, as it was a large front room with a door in the back of the room leading most likely to more offices. The front also had desks and filing cabinets that must have been moved in. Along one wall where stands for flags, a lot more than just the three at the moment, He recognized the National flag for Equestria, the Lunar Guard flag, but the third, he figured it must have been the garrison that they were bolstering, it must be their flag he thought to himself as he was directed to take a seat. “Now,” The Major spoke as he sat down behind the desk. “We wait for the General.”
The wait was a few minutes, in which time Nightstar had busied himself by walked over to some of the maps on the wall to look them over. One thing he noticed was just how out of date the map he was looking at was. Then again he reminded himself the Castle was from before Luna’s banishment. He chuckled as he realized a few moments later that another map had been placed next to the first one, this one a brand new one it looked like to his eyes and he could see a rather stark change, for one thing the Everfree forest had grown and become more wild, what had been small outposts or villages were not overgrown or outright abandoned, even the mention of Sunny Town was no where to be seen. His ears heard the door open and close behind him but at the moment he was actually fascinated to see the change of borders between Luna’s old map and the new one, concerning the Crystal Empire, if he was reading this correctly, then Luna had lost a bit of royal lands up north. He wondered if she ever planned to reclaim those lands that were by the, Nightstar did not get to finish his train of thoughts as he heard a throat being cleared behind him.
He turned around and nodded his head. They were indoors and so, was not required to salute. “General, I was informed by the Major that you can answer some questions I have.” He watched silently as the General only walked to a desk and sat behind it. Placing his fore hooves on top of the desk and looked right at Nightstar before speaking.
“Depends on the questions Officer Cadet.” He replied, only smiling at seeing the rise of the Thestral’s eye brows as Nightstar just sat down in confusion. “I have been briefed on what you really are, and your importance to the Royal Crown.” He smiled a little. “Also I have to say thank you for going with Princess Luna’s suggestion of joining her guards, she could see that you were getting a little restless in the castle and she felt being in her guard would allow you to see a little of Equestria while we all worked on protecting you from anything that might happen.”
Nightstar after a bit finally found his voice and with a small bow of his head spoke. “Thank you for accepting me into your ranks, but why an Officer Cadet?” he looked back up at the General.
The General moved a little in his chair making it squeak a little before he answered the question. “It says here in General Princess Luna’s report that back home you were in a course to try and become an officer in your military.” He paused and looked at Nightstar “Is that true?”
“Yes Sir, it is true.” Nightstar replied feeling funny and silly answering these question as a pony when they were directed at his human and real self.
Nightstar watched and listened as the General shuffled some papers, then the General continued. “With your training you had and some fudging on Luna’ part you were placed into the last section of an Officer Cadet, in field mentorships. Mainly in my unit.” A small chuckle. “It won’t be much you will learn how to lead troops, command them, and lead small patrols through the Everfree Forest. Nothing too difficult. Stay long enough and you might get stationed on the Griffon Equestrian sea border.”
Nightstar looked at the General and while he had many other thoughts from how he wasn’t planning to stay that long and that he wanted to return home after this storm was over and how he had no plans of being on any borders. He replied with a neutral sounding reply. “Thank you Sir.” He felt at least to thank him. He did not want a General angry at him because he insulted him by saying he wanted to do something else.
Still he was not comfortable with where he was. He shivered as he remember the last time he saw Celestia in the hallway. The look she gave him still unnerved him. Almost like as he thought back he thought he dedicated a smirk at seeing him being marched away. Did he, was he here not on Luna’s orders? He wondered but found that he should not question that at the moment.
“Sir,” he began breaking his mental thoughts and focusing on the here and now. “Am I to stay in the Officer’s wings of the Barracks?” Nightstar asked as he shuffled a little on the floor with his hoofs.
“Negative,” The General replied. “I have been told you are taking a guard room next to the high ranked guests wings. Seeing as we might get a visit from Cadet Captain William Howard of the USA.” he shook his head. “Can they focus on one way to call him? I can see the problems of a new civilization, but this is.” He paused and shook his head realizing who was in the room with him.
“I think Mr Howard gets confused as well with the titles.” Nightstar replied with a small smile to show that he did not mind the slight on the changing status quo.
“Very well.” The General replied. “Just so you know when you start asking for directions you will want to be directed to General Falling Leaf’s office tonight after dinner.” He nodded to the Major. “If you would lead Cadet Officer Nightstar to his quarters before dinner, it would be best for him to settle into his quarters before dinner, afterwards may become a bit busy.
Nightstar shook his head and thought back to the first days he was in Equestria. From a Human fighting a Nightmare to befriending a Princess, getting military training to fit in and a disguise along with a Moon Pony, these last three weeks had been brutal. He followed the Major to his room where he pulled out a calendar and marked another day off it. November 13th was the day he just crossed off. he smiled a little as he looked at the sixteenth where he had drawn a little cake and a candle on it. “Going to be twenty eight.” he sighed as he sat down on the floor and smiled sadly. “I miss you family.” he spoke to the air.
Meanwhile back at Canterlot. The throne room shook. The two Night Guards looked at their counterparts on the other side of the double doors. They heard rattling of the door. Neither one knew what to do. IT seemed that in the two full years since Luna returned or rather the two and a half years if you counted the half year as well. This was the first fight between sisters and while the doors had magic to keep those from eavesdropping it still shuddered from the forces of nature standing within.
Luna stood feet spread and her head lowered in an aggressive stance, her voice shaking the room. “How Dare you, How Dare you. Forging my orders, I thought you agreed that you would not mess with my guards. I could train them like I wanted.” She took a scroll and threw it at Celestia’s hooves as she sat upon the throne in the throne room. “What is the meaning of this, you not only ordered my troops to my castle, Against my own wishes I should add. But tried to ship William to the Crystal Empire.” She stepped forward as lightning crackled from her hooves striking the floor. “WHY?”
Celestia had remained calm and even then spoke calmly. “To protect you. To, To keep your heart from breaking.”
“Breaking? By separating a target of the Nightmares?” Luna growled back her eyes glowing a deep blue and her mane flowing angrily in a non existent wind. “DO you realize what might happen if they got him? He does not use a lot of his tactics he knows. He has remained civil and calm. He has not insulted anyone of this Government that did not deserve it. Even then he did not charge Blueblood when he was attacked by his guards. Yet you say you sent him away to not break my heart?”
Celestia sighed and looked to the side and one of the stained glass windows. The one showing her faithful student and her friends defeating Nightmare Moon. “Then why did you send him out. I thought he was going to the Crystal Empire till he was spotted in the Lunar Station area.”
Luna smirked. “I felt that it might be best for him to get out of the castle as well. As seeing as Ponyville is closeby, that we could visit Ponyville on semi official business.”
Celestia shook her head. “No, I cannot allow it, you said yourself that the night sky is having shooting stars which are reaching the surface of this planet, yet they are not shooting stars, they are from your project on the moon, which while lonely was a foolish choice the Nightmares have a base from which to attack anyplace on Equestria.”
Luna bristled at this.accusation. “How dare you.” She growled as her mane shimmered a little and Celestia actually leaned back a little.
“Please, continue sister.” She replied trying to calm her sister down now.
“Of course Sister.” The word was said with hurt and venom to it. “Now, William is not yet fully ready to face the outside, another month maybe. But at the moment he still is vulnerable, his training for mental protection is still mediocre at best.” Luna turned and began to march in front of Celestia, still speaking. “I do not know what our niece has told you, but it is not to worry about.” She looked back at Celestia. “I planned fully to return William to his world when the time came. As you said, friendship is a very important thing for me to learn, and that even means knowing when it is time to leave.” She smiled. “I plan to allow letters to pass though, just because William is home with his family, does not mean he should be cut off from the world he wishes to fight to save both worlds.”
Celestia paused and her voice was weak. “What if, if you can’t send letters, or he dies in this war you keep saying will happen.”
Luna paused and stiffened her sister had asked two questions she did not want to think about. “IF he dies I shall honor him and keep his body preserved for when we can return it to his home. I would bury a piece of his armor in the Lunar Volcano where I ceremonially bury my troops.”
Celestia sighed and shook her head as Luna turned and saw it. “Sister… if he cannot return, even as a mortal you are having feelings for a being who, won’t even live past a hundred.”
Luna glared at Celestia and stepped forward. “Yet you allowed Cadence to marry Shining Armor and yet, why? Do you think he is the same as your faithful student? What if he does something father approves of that lets him make a wish or I?”
Celestia just narrowed her eyes. “Luna, don’t ever think father will bail you out. He didn’t bail anyone else out and I had t o banish you. You rely too much on your faith of your troops and the outcomes rolling your way.”
Luna smirked. “Only because I know as that lovely book that I was able to read from William about the Art of his world’s ancient wars.” She leaned forward. “I trust fate because I know I will win. When have I ever faced a true defeat that did not play into my hoofs. You may be good at the long game of moving citizens and the world to keep the peace. I, I am able to be swift quick and brutal when needed. There was a reason why the Crystal Ponies came to me first when Sombra started he bid for power. They knew I could attack him. I just, moved to slow as I trusted thee Sister.”
Celestia bowed her head. “I am sorry for that Sister, I, I should have been more open to you. Age and years have taught that to me. Forgive me.”
Luna’s entire anger seemed to be snuffed out by that and next think Celestia knew her little sister and embraced her in a hug. “Oh Tia,” She replied, “I am sorry for yelling it just felt like the Crystal empire again, just, please let me handle William. He can still be a wild card, and..”
She stiffened as she turned and raced to one of the few clear windows in the Throne Room and she stared out. “The badlands are getting hit.” She turned to Celestia. “Sister I must go, and ready my troops.”
Celestia stiffened at the words. “Can, can you wait till after Hearth Warming Eve? And let the Crystal Empire provide some of their power?”
Luna shook her head. “Nah Sister, I can wait maybe till the end of the month but no longer. They appeared to have set up a base already and from what a letter said from your student, the Changelings are out there. Maybe now Nightmare twisted versions of themselves.”
Celestia only nodded. “Wait for a week, I think, you should know and see something I drafted in my anger and hurt when I was hurting from having you gone.” She moved and started to walk. “I never wanted to open this decree ever.” She whispered.
Luna intrigued slowly followed Celestia. “Do not tell us that this will banish me again?”
Celestia shook her head. “No, but I fear some might see it as letting the beast out of her cage upon a world not ready for a repeat of her ferocity.”
Luna blinked but did not smile, it seemed she was confused more than anything else.
Nightstar looked out from his quarters and looked to the night sky. He blinked as he saw the stars move a little in their positions and blinked as he looked at the book he found in his room. He found that while the sky was beautiful. And he was sure that some of the folks would complain about the movement of some of the stars, he found that it was a section that conveyed major orders for Luna’s troops and yet he couldn’t find anything in the book to tell what the orders were, just that orders were being given.
He turned as he heard a knock on the door. He trotted over to the door and blinked as he saw three guards in the hallway. “Please follow us, General Fallen Leaf requests your presence in his office.”
Nightstar only nodded his head and making sure that at least his armor chest plate was presentable, he slowly trotted in the middle of this group till they reached the door. Where one of the guards knocked a certain rythum on the door.
“Enter.” The voice of General Fallen Leaf called through the door. The Door was pushed open and the guards motioned for Nightstar to enter the room, as he did so he realized that they were not going to enter with him and in fact shut the door behind him as he entered fully into the room.
He blinked and jumped and turned as he saw a shimmering form of a disguise fall and he blinked as he slowly moved from his attack stance to bow a little to Luna. “General Princess. An Honor to have you in our Command Center.” Nightstar replied with a humble tone of voice.
“Please William, I do not want to see you bowing to me, in either of your forms you are too proud of a man to do so without harm to your beliefs. Please, return to your human form as well when you speak to me.”
“Of Course Ma’am.” Nightstar replied and moved a hoof over the crest and twisted it and while the armor fell to the ground with a clatter of metal. William stood and swayed as he got use to his upright stance again. “Woah… that was, a head rush.”
Luna smirked a little. “Now, as we have the US representative in our mist. I must speak with him alone.” She looked to General Fallen Leaf. “What I am to say is for his ears only, and depending on his actions, will later involve you as well.”
“Of course Princess General.” General Fallen Leaf replied with a bow and left by the front door, the same door that William had entered in by. Leaving the two to stand in the room.
Luna moved to the map and motioned for William to move forward with a wing. “Come. I must show you something.”
William slowly moved forward and stood to look at the modern map of Equestria and the world. He noticed that the map was now showing troop positions and posts. He saw a rather large island that was split in half. “It seems,” Luna began. “That my Sister gave away Moon Island or part of it to the Griffons, no matter.” She looked down and some part of the map glowed. As William watch he saw a town appear with a symbol over it. “There. The Capital of the Changeling hive.” She slowly positioned small markers spreading out a little. “From what I could gather from the last few nights when not teaching you some tricks I have spot that they had moved outwards in this way.”
She then slowly changed the map and William stepped back only to walk into an outspread wing from Luna. “Do not be scared, well, you can be scared but do not run. The stars that are falling, while beautiful and many in Equestria are saying thanks for me to giving them.” She placed a hoof over the badlands and then looked up and the area further north than the Crystal Empire also had the symbols appearing. “They were not shooting stars. They fixed their launching systems and are falling, and last night. A rather large number fell into the Badlands.” Luna closed her eyes and bowed her head.
She slowly turned and looked at William. “I am requesting, no,” She bowed her head as if bowing to a higher noble than her. “I am begging you to accept as William Jefferson Howard, a rank of Nightmare General of an Army that will be put together to fight the badlands.”
William blinked and stepped back a little. “Me, Lead? I, I only played and lead troops on a computer and even then I usually lost a large number. Why me? Why ask me when you have many more.”
Luna looked up and her eyes sad. “Because,” She began, “You and I, and only one other knows fully what the Nightmares fully plan to do to this world.” She looked guilty as she spoke the next words. “Because if we do not beat them here as you have said, would then move to your world to enslave it for their purposes.”
“How long do we have before they start spreading out from the hive?” William asked as he looked at the map again. A worried look and a frown crossing his face. “I am taking it that you will help me at least to build the military?”
Luna slowly stepped up and placed a wing over William’s back and shoulder. “Nay my equal.” She replied. “Celestia and I will disolve our forces and the normal Guard and create a force from scratch. This threat will require troops from all nations to gather. The Nightmares will corrupt anything they find, from trees to the rodents in the ground. The Badlands will fully live up to that name in the campaigns to come.”
“How much time?” William asked again as he shivered, the Nightmares, he knew they would attack sometime, the Lunar base that they had with Luna’s children was enough proof but he had hoped he had more time.
“We leave after Hearth Warming Eve this year. By then the troops will have reported to their new places. My old friend Fire Brand will have gathered his dragon kin, and I can have called in my debt to the Griffons. The New Year will see Dragons in the Crystal Mountains, Celestia guarding her nation that she had loved and protected for a thousand years, and the two Nightmares.” William realized that she meant her and he. “The Nightmares,” Luna repeated after a pause. “Will go and attack their main base, and hopefully at the same time deal with the Changelings so they do not threaten Equestria, or any Ponies ever again.”
William only smiled grimly. “Very well Nightmare General Luna, I accept the position. I take it you will back me up? As I am a good trap bait.”
Luan snorted. “Both of us are bait traps. They want their own Queen, and they would loved to give their Queen a King.” Luna’s voice had a mocking tone to it. William nodded grimly. “Let’s show them that they picked the wrong two lives to turn upside down.”
Luna smiled and laughed a little. “Indeed my fellow General. But come, you have not had dinner. I shall insist you dine with me. However I think a dinner on a nice cloud will help. Tomorrow I think Ponyville should meet you William and not Nightstar, we shall be there right next to thee.” She smiled and looked back at the map. “I say it would be good to fill up on the happy memories and friends. Those are some very powerful weapons against the despair of a Taint and a Real Nightmare.”
William only grimly nodded his head before smiling. “It will be nice to see what happens in Ponyville.” He replied. “Thank you,” he began and let his eyes rove back to Canterlot. “Thank you for helping me that first night. I, I do not know how my mental mind would be like now if I was forced to fight such a wonderful nation.”
Luna only smiled and looked at the map of Equestria and the world. “A wonderful nation indeed, and one as thou said, worth fighting for, in less words then thee but still a nation worth fighting for.”
She turned and started for the door. “Come, Nightstar and thou must be hungry and I insist thou join us for a banquet tonight under our night sky.” She smiled as she sensed the magic activating and the clip clop of hooves on the stone floor. She smiled and hide the slight tears from the fight and what her sister had planned. She shook her head and made a small laugh to hide the emotion. “Let’s see how well you can fly in the dark.”
Nightstar stared up at the sky from the courtyard as he saw Luna’s First milling about in the courtyard and then back at the sky and Luna hovering there with slow beats of her wings and she looked down at him. “Come on, I know thou can see in the night. So let’s do a few maneuvers.”
Nightstar slowly looked around and with a snap of his leathery wings and a downward beat and a jump from his hooves, he found himself in the air and suddenly Princess General Luna, took off towards a cloud bank. Nightstar was dumbstruck but he heard some noise and saw the guards scrambling to move and he felt suddenly threatened by the guards and he quickly took off as he pushed to gain speed after the Princess, the thought he had blown from his mind that he liked the idea of Luna being a General. He found that the cloud back seemed to be moving towards him on a wind that he was fighting.
He heard some shouting behind him and he gulped and promptly pushed his speed even more. When suddenly he found that he had shot right into a cloud and found himself sticking out on both ends. He saw that the cloud wall he hit was hollow on the inside and there sitting at a cloud table with some night guards around the edge of the room, who were all looking at him and he could only smile a little with a slightly worried look.
He felt something tingly at his hoofs and looked down to see that Luna had taken hold of his hooves in her magic and tugged at him, and with a pop he landed in a rather ungraceful heap on the cloud floor. Here he heard some laughter from the guards, which quickly stopped as Nightstar unfolded himself and got back on his four hooves. “I can see now why, our meeting location.” he replied as to his being needed to be in his pony form.
“Of course, now come sit, and dine. Let us start with some Moon wine.” She replied as he gave her a look. “The non-alcoholic type of course.” She sighed as he walked to the table. “That is one thing I miss from the old days, wine at every meal, or Mead, or,” She trailed off with a small laugh. “Still sit and dine.” She looked up at the open sky that shone through what Nightstar and William both thought of as a Cup. There were sitting in a cup shaped cloud. He moved to a cloud chair and sat down in it sinking a little into the fluff as he was given a small goblet of the vintage. “I thought we would start with a nice lettuce appetizer, followed by a nice pumpkin cream chowder, with a Griffon Sea Trout as your world would call it for the main course, finished by a Moon Pie, you might call it a cream like pie and not those treats your mind thinks of as Moon Pies.” She chuckled a little. “A Light Dinner but I rather go lightly as we must speak of the coming Campaign, and it would be best not to get too stuffed that we cannot think properly.”
Nightstar slowly nodded his head as he realized Luna looked a little different and then the light glistened off her fangs and he blinked with a look of surprise.
Luna chuckled a little. “Helps with the fish. Which is actually part of a Thestral diet more than most ponies think.”
She moved and clapped her hooves together. “Come, let the first course start.” She looked to Nightstar and looked up suddenly along with others in the room, and this time William realized he could feel it and he looked up and stared in awe at the shooting stars that rained down the atmosphere looking beautiful, but then he remembered what Luna had just said in the General office and those stars looked deadly, and brought dread to his body.
Luna sighed after the shower finished. “Twenty… they have a foothold in the badlands it seems, yet we won’t be ready till after Hearth Warming Eve.” She shook her head, “We’ll be fighting an entrenched enemy, but we should do fine.” She looked back at William who was disguised as a Thestral. “Nightstar,” She looked around the room and sighed. “William,” It seemed weird to him that he was being addressed as William in his pony form.
“William, I thank thee for giving thine support to Equestria, know that no matter what happens, the Lunar Guard nor I will ever forget what you have done and have agreed to have done.”
William nodded his head. “I thank you for helping me, and taking a more dangerous route.” He held up a wing. “IT would have been far more easier to have encased me in stone, or killed me with the Nightmare then to have done what thou hast done.” he turned to face the salad as it was placed in front of him. “I will do my utmost, and, depending on what happens, I leave my resting place in your authority Princess General Luna of Equestria and the Lunar Guards.” He took a deep breath. “Though you know where I would like to have my resting place.”
Luna nodded, this was not something she expected now, but felt more at ease that her human, she shook her head mentally to clear that term out of her head. That William was mentally preparing for the war, and giving reality to a fact neither she nor he wanted to think, that he would remain in Equestria and never return home. “I shall make it so.” She muttered softly. “And if you fall I shall tell your nation of the great hero that they lost, never knowing you were a hero till after you vanished.”
William only nodded his head with a small grim smile. “Just, compensate my family for their lost please.”
Luna nodded, “As much as I do with those who fall under my command.” She replied. She blinked back a tear and looked at the food. “Come let us talk of happier things and finish the meal, then we can speak more of this subject.”
William only nodded his head. “Very well, I shall request a Lunar attorney for crafting my Will then, after dinner.”
Luna looked to one of the guards and nodded to him who only nodded back. “Done.” She finished. “Now, come, eat and tell me what your taste buds tell you.”
William only nodded his head once more and took a fork by his wing, marveling at how dexterous ponies were, even Thestrals, then he looked over and blinked in shock as he saw Luna eating like, well a pony without silverware. William seemed conflicted he had been one to eat food with utensils, even his pizza’s he ate, but with a gulp he slowly copied Luna’s actions.
Luna upon seeing this smiled and lifted her head. “It is traditional to eat the salad as thus, at least in company of I, a harken back to olden days when we did not have such fine tools as forks, knives, or spoons for everyday use.”
William smiled at that thought, here he was, eating like the old nobles of over a thousand years ago. The nobles of today would be scandalized if they ever had to eat like this outside of Luna’s presence and he smiled before returning to eat like, well, like a pony in the grasslands of home. He blinked and fought a small bout of tears. He shook his head, he was here and staying here to fight for his family, his nation and he sure as heck won’t let these Nightmares get anywhere close to North Korea of Iran. He suddenly found a hoof on his shoulder and looked up to see Princess Luna with a piece of shredded carrot hanging from her chin.
“Do not eat so fast or with such anger… it is rather poor for the digestive.” She replied with a slight chuckle before moving back to her chair and the rest of her salad.
“Sorry,” William muttered as he looked back down at the plate. “I just, was worried about what would happen if the Nightmares were able to control two of our world’s nations… they are a bit unstable, and lead by… leaders who the world would not know they were Nightmares till it was too late.”
Luna only nodded her head as she lifted her head up and nodded in understanding. “I agree, a noble worry to have but please, try not to let it affect your eating. Or you will have gas.” She returned to eating with an amused smirk as William stared stunned that Luna had just, he shook his own equine head and returned to eating.
The salad was soon finished and the plates taken away and here William saw a soup spoon, designed rather differently than what he was use to, but found that with some help from Luna’s coaching that it was made for a Thestral’s wing, as well as to hold soup without it slipping off, mainly a deeper bowl and a more curved handle, it was rather nice, and this time the soup was eaten in silence. He really enjoyed it he realized with a nice smile. It also reminded him a receipt his aunt would make, and it caused a little bit more twinge but he was able to handle it better. Soon Luna and he were using a small bread pieces to wipe up the soup. He didn’t care if it was or was not good ettigue to or not do, he wanted to finish every last drop of the soup or chowder.
As the bowls were removed he looked up and smiled at the sky and the stars as they twinkled in the night sky. “The light from my cities can cloud and block out the lesser stars but here, in a world like yours, the stars are so pure and clean, and I can, is that part of the Galaxy’s arm that I see above us?”
The Thestrals around him gasped and seemed to murmur amongst themselves while Luna only smiled and chuckled as the Trout was brought out for the main part of the meal. “Yes, that is part of our Galaxy, most ponies think that I control all the stars around us.” She sighed and looked to the sky. “No, I only control smaller stars that are about the size of Canterlot Mountain that are above the sky. I form shapes as a means of communicating to my troops back when Sombra was a minor Noble who had visions of power and hunger for control.” She smirked a little. “I must say that you are able to surprise my guards, you see that comment while not discouraged if felt like a secret in my troops and here you are, bringing knowledge from your world that would surprise even Twilight Sparkle.” She sighed and looked at the plate. “As well as my sister, who seemed to have forgotten that the stars would dance and move under my control.” She smiled a little. “Just because we are in a galaxy’s arm, does not mean I am without my paints, from the gases of old,” She smiled and took a small amount of fish on a fork and put it into her mouth chewing a little before continuing. “I have been able to control gasses and leftovers from when this system formed by the shaping and guiding hoof of my parents.” She smiled softly. “Some of the best presents they ever gave me was the means and knowledge to craft my own small stars and paint the night sky. I, I look forward to getting my sky back, which will be long and hard, My orders I just put out tonight will cause a fit and no less then sixty letters of complaints of me messing with the night sky when it is I who gave them the sky they look at, unchanging those thousand years, well I say Nay to them, it is my sky and my domain,” She stopped and blushed where William could see. “My apologies William, but that is a, how do you say it? A soap box?”
William nodded his head. “Or a High Horse.” he paused and only smiled at the snort Luna gave of laughter at the term.
“High Horse indeed, come, come eat, you listen to me speak is not good for the meal or the chefs pride.” William only smiled and joined in mimicking Luna’s eating habits, taking sip of a glass of Lunar Wine that just seemed to never empty.
He actually found that he could actually slowly decide what the drink reminded him of, a cross of a slight hard parmesan cheese, and white grape juice, a scent that reminded him of nutmeg and finally a texture of smooth silky water. He found that he liked the taste and drink a lot, and was happy it was not going to make him tippy.
Finally the desert came and went and to his taste buds it was to, he would never be able to taste cheesecake or cream pies again without comparing it to this meal’s dessert. He smiled a little more as he looked up and saw the moon slowly making her appearance over their heads as he just relaxed from the meal, and he sighed and seemed to melt a little in relaxation in the cloud char.
Luna looked up at the sky and back at William. “You love the night sky don’t you?” She asked as she seemed to move her cloud chair to be next to William, closer than before.
“Yeah, I guess because to me, to a race that has actually landed many men upon our own natural satellite that we call a Moon, we see the night sky and wonder what is beyond, what is out there.” He smiled a little. “Humanity in a way, we for years until even the late eighteen hundreds were explorers, and now… the exploration is taken by more committed folks that can travel to places normal folks like I or my family would never get to go.” He paused and laughed as if laughing at a joke he just said. “What am I saying? If I am to travel outside of my nation, in a way even if it is there, I personally never visited that far off location, and yet I can board a plane, travel for a day, and then step foot into the lands that I have read about and be in a sense, an explorer.” He however lapsed into silence. “If we do make contact. My name will appear in every newspaper, every language, and most likely be reserved a spot in Arlington as the first human, the first man in ancient terms to have traveled to another world.” he looked down. “How, would history view this moment? A conquest? A friend helping a friend who did not know they were friends? A mistake and close each other off from one another?” he closed his eyes and smiled sadly. “But that is the future, and the past is the past and cannot be undone, the only concern I should have is the present, and to make sure that from actions now, the future is a good one.”
Luna only nodded unseen by William as she looked to a guard. “It is as your mind has taken as a motto for why a nation should have a military, and those officers become as smart as they can and want. A Nation who separates their thinkers from their military will have their fighting done by cowards and their thinking done by fools.”
William made a grunt of affirmative. “Yes, Also a soldier is there to guard against enemies of a nation.” he shook his head. “You’ve been in my head, you know the oath an officer of my nation takes.”
“To protect your constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic.” She paused and finally chuckled. “So that is your plan on standing before your nations government. As a Civilian who holds those words as a sacred oath that you willingly took, you fought an enemy of the Constitution and all it stood for.”
William smiled a little. “It helps as a balm against all that I have had to give to you and your sister in everything. From my silence to others about my worlds as much as I can, to agreeing to being a rank I am not. I am doing this for my nation's defense and if they don’t like it and wish for me to serve time. I will happily accept it knowing that lives and people are safe and will never see what I saw in my mind that first night in Equestria.”
Luna nodded and William was surprised with he was folded up in a wing hug by the Princess. “If they do that, then they will have to fight through my armies and me to take you from Equestria… if no one else will accept your sacrifice then I shall.”
William blinked and shook his head and opened his mouth as if to refute or argue but sighed and closed it, he did not feel like arguing with Luna tonight about what he was meaning, let her think what she wanted about him… it did feel nice however to know that he had a friend that would be that loyal. He chuckled a little as he remembered some friends from his hometown before he had to, leave for higher education. He sighed and looked up at both the night sky and Luna’s face as she seemed to have gotten behind him when she hugged him and she too looked upon her night sky. Both watching the beauty, while doing their best not to think of the fact that under that very same sky to the south of them, the enemy was growing in the darkness.