//------------------------------// // Protection Needed // Story: Under the Moonlight // by Thunderblast //------------------------------// About a week after Thunderblast met his marefriend's adopted brother, Light Assassin, he returned to Canterlot to resume his duties. In the following days, tranquility came across the capitol city, but things did not change for Thunder, or his fellow guards. Their duties were the same as always; Patrol, protect, and if nessicary, arrest any threat. But, there are no threats, no crime, nothing interesting. In the time between the stallion returning to Canterlot, and now, Thunderblast's station was moved to one of the viaducts at the castle, overlooking the gardens and a busy shopping street. Ever since his station changed, he was allowed to handle it himself, as nopony but guards, castle staff, and very rare times, royal celebrities, used it. Thunder yawned, and grumbled slightly to himself. "Another boring day...again. I should have joined the army instead." He continued to keep a straight face, eying ponies on the street below as they went by, checking for any suspicious activity that could be a threat to the castle or the princesses, that he could fly down and intercept, and stop. But as usual, nothing happened. As a matter of fact, it was calm enough outside where he could fall asleep, still standing, hard as a rock, and nopony would notice unless they looked him in the eye. There was a cool breeze, not many clouds in the sky, and few ponies on the streets talked to one another. There were a trio of mares chatting up a storm at a cafe across the street, two foals playing by the fountain in the royal garden, which was allowed, and some vendors hoping to sell merchandise of theirs, while stores kept their doors wide open, with one or two ponies entering, or leaving. But, something didn't feel right to the stallion. He felt as if something was bound to happen that day. As a guard, he knows, as well as the other thousands, maybe hundred-thousands of guards know that when they receive their armor, they must be prepared for death, in any dangerous circumstance. Thunder wasn't scared to die, but he also isn't prepared to either. He had thoughts of leaving the guard so he could be with his marefriend happily, and possibly become a wonderbolt instead, but the royal guard was his kingdom come. As the day passed, he received a magic-sent letter from the captain, summoning the stallion to Shining's office on the other side of the castle. On his way there, Thunder stopped for a few moments, and watched some smaller trainee pegasi do wing ups, as well as a drill sergeant screaming explicit and degrading sentences at them, while unicorns and earth ponies ran down the newly extended track, others practicing marching. It made him smile lightly, but he had to get to the captain's office before he blew a fuse, and probably get discharged. There was a knock at the door, in a small office in the castle. "Come in, Thunder." Said the white unicorn stallion sitting at his desk, wearing the captain's armor. Thunderblast entered, removing his helmet from his head. "You wanted to see me sir?" Shining Armor looked up at the stallion. "How many times do I have to tell you, Thunder?" Thunder gulped, feeling a lecture coming. "Don't call me sir, call me Shining. You're my friend." Shining continued. "Whew." Thunder mentally said. "Yes si-. Shining." Shining Armor then smiled. "Have a seat, soldier." Thunderblast seated himself across from Shining at his desk, setting his helmet on the back of the chair. "Now, you and I both know that you're one of my best guards, if not my best overall." Shining said. "Aw, no i'm not." Thunder said, attempting to deny. "Oh, yes you are, now stop it." Shining chuckled. "As I was saying, you're one of my best guards, and you've been with us total for nine years. So, I am offering you this. Would you like to do night shifts on occasion as well?" Thunder's eyes shrunk slightly, his jaw hanging open. "Night shifts?" "You heard me." Shining Armor said. "But Shining, that's for the lunar guards." Thunderblast said. "Yes, but guards like you also do night shifts at times, in the event of others being out sick, or on vacation. Besides, it gives you more opportunities." Shining said. "True, but....truth is. I can't see well at night. What I mean is, I don't have bat pony eyes, sir." Thunder replied. "So is that a no?" Shining asked. Thunder groaned. "It's a yes." "Excellent, you have a shift tonight. I suggest you take the rest of the day off and go get some rest, soldier." Shining Armor said. "Tonight?!" Thunder yelled. "Yes. Is that a problem?" Shining asked. Thunderblast calmed down some. "No, sir..." "Very well. Dismissed." Shining Armor said, returning his attention to some untouched papers, and Thunder stood, sliding his helmet back onto his head, before trotting out and shutting the door behind him. "Ugh...night shifts." He grumbled quietly to himself. Thunder then clocked himself out, hours early of course, before flying out to the barracks to get some rest, on captains order. He laid down on one of the vacant beds, being the only pony in there at the time, and attempted to go to sleep. Thunderblast had to be back up by nine, which gave him about five and a half hours to rest. Unlucky for him, he tossed and turned most of the time, only getting about two hours. When he woke back up, he quickly showered, then clocked in for his night shift, being stationed back on the same viaduct as earlier. Thunder yawned many times, his eyes attempting to shut, but he persevered and stayed awake, but could not see much around him, due to the endless abyss of darkness from the night, Luna's moon not making much of a difference. But before he could yawn again, something darted behind him, making a whoosh loud enough to wake him up completely, and get him alert enough to chase after it. "HEY!" He yelled, running after it, but quickly loosing sight of it in the darkness, and he ended his five second long pursuit, before returning to his station, looking from side to side suspiciously, now completely wide awake, and tensing up. For the next few minutes, nothing happened, before the whoosh came back, and he got a quick glimpse of what looked like a blue and black tail, before becoming worried enough to spread the word. Thunderblast flew off, away from his station, to find Shining Armor, who unknowingly was at home with his wife Princess Cadence. Thunder entered his dark office, and found nopony there. "Shoot." he said to himself, before trotting quickly out to find another high rank. With no luck after fifteen minutes, he finally finds a dark grey pegasus stallion in Lunar armor. "Hey, you!" Thunder said, running up to him, out of breath. "Hm?" The stallion said, looking at Thunderblast. "Oh hi, Thunder." "H-how do you know my name?" Thunder said, looking up at the stallion, panting for breath. The stallion then smiled, revealing two fangs in his mouth. "It's me, Night!" "Night? As in Night Shadow?" Thunderblast asked, still breathing heavily. "Theeee one and only." Night replied. "What's up buddy?" "Somepony or something kept darting past me at my station at the northeast wing. I think we may have had a breach." Thunder said in a serious tone. "Whoa whoa whoa, WHAT?!" Night Shadow said, dropping his spear in shock. "Yeah... It was moving too quick for me to catch it, or really see anything." Thunder said back. "And you abandoned your station to tell me?" Night said, picking up his spear. Thunderblast's heart dropped at that moment, his eyes widening. "I...abandoned my station. Yes." "Don't you think you should be there now?" Night asked. "Y-yes... I went off to find Shining and alert him, but he's off duty and probably at home. Look, just keep an eye out for stuff, alright?" Thunder said. Night Shadow nodded, before the tall doors to the room next to them opened, and a slightly taller dark blue alicorn mare stepped out. "WHAT IS THIS NONSENSE HAPPENING OUT HERE WHILE WE ARE TRYING TO SLEEP?!" The mare yelled out in a very loud voice, causing the two to jump and cower slightly. "Your highness, Thunderblast here just notified me that weird occurances have been happening at his station, we think there may have been a breach." Night Shadow said, turning to face her. The mare calmed down, now putting on a face of concern. "Oh dear. Does thou know what it was?" Princess Luna asked Thunder, who shook his head no. "It was moving too quick for me to catch or see, your highness." Thunderblast said. "I see. What do you suggest we do?" Princess Luna asked. "Nothing right now, but we should probably increase security. Ever since the royal wedding attack, we can't let something else that big happen again." Night Shadow said. "I agree. Guards!" Luna yelled out, and a unicorn guard in lunar armor, next to a bat pony stallion also in lunar armor, trot up. "Yes, your highness?" One of the guards asked. "I want you to let the captain of my personal guard, and of the lunar guard that more troops must patrol tonight and tomorrow night. As for you Thunderblast, I want you to wake up Shining Armor and the captain of Celestia's personal guard and let them know what's going on." Luna said, in a slightly worried but serious tone. "And you, Night Shadow, I want you to stay here with me. Please." The four then saluted, and all said. "Yes, your highness." Before everypony but Luna and Night Shadow went off to follow her highness' orders. The rest of the night, more guards, mostly lunar, but also with some solar guards mixed in, became more of a presence around the castle, as the mysterious figure did not make another.