Rainbow Dash and Quick Silver walked side by side, coming to a stop in the center of the room. Contrary to it's usual state, the large room was devoid of ponies, save for the two princesses watching them enter. It was almost ominous, with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna seated above the main floor on their thrones from atop a large set of stairs. The surrounding balconies that would usually be full of nobility instead gave loud echoes to their hoofsteps, and really any noise that was above a whisper. Rainbow dearly hoped Luna didn't break out the Royal Canterlot Voice. Quick Silver saluted the duo, but Rainbow noticed she was looking at Luna. She herself dropped into a bow.
"Rainbow Dash, Quick Silver. My sister and I were beginning to wonder if something had happened on your trip here. Please, stand up." Celestia smiled as she spoke, and there was a hint of relief in her voice.
"Sorry Princess," Rainbow apologized, rising to her hooves as she spoke. "Quick Silver here was against flying for some reason, otherwise I could have gotten here in ten-"
"That's because we instructed her not to escort you through the air." Luna 's voice was hard, and she was looking at Quick Silver disapprovingly. "Still, we did not think it would take this long to gather someone from Ponyville." Quick Silver said nothing as she still stood in salute, though Rainbow noticed her jaw clench considerably. There was an awkward silence, before Luna finally sighed and spoke again.
"At ease, Mercury." Quick Silver's hoof dropped to the ground, and Rainbow blinked in confusion.
"Wait, your name is Mercury? I thought you said it was-"
Rainbow prided herself on being brave. She once kicked a dragon in the face. She's gotten into fist fights with changelings, and performed Sonic Rainbooms. For pony's sake, she had an adventure with Daring Do. When it counts, Rainbow Dash knows how to deliver.
But the look Quick Silver gave her the moment she uttered the name 'Mercury' scared her. It was a look she had seen on Sombra, and on Tirek. It was pure, unadulterated hatred. Rainbow froze, eyes wide. Desperately, she looked to the princesses for help.
Luna was angry, that much was obvious. Her jaw was set and her eyes were narrowed. Her ethereal mane swished violently, and she looked like she had something to say. Rainbow realized with a start that all of that anger was focused on herself. She took a step back, glancing at Celestia, pleading silently she would intervene. Instead, Celestia was merely frowning, and watched the scene unfold with a sad look that was not at home on her usually kind visage. But before Rainbow could fully contemplate high tailing it out of the room, Princess Luna finally said what was evidently going through her head.
"Rainbow, we know you do not know, and mean no disrespect, so you will not have shamed yourself today. But never again speak a Chiruus's true name without their permission. It is one of the highest forms of disgrace one could ever hope to bestow on them."
Rainbow looked between Quick Silver, who was still just as livid, and Luna, who at least had settled into looking incredibly stern. "I- I didn't... Look, I'm really-" Rainbow tried apologizing to the guard, but Celestia interrupted.
"Actually Rainbow, that's a perfect example of why my sister and I wanted you here. Tell me, before you met Quick Silver, have you ever met any bat ponies?" Celestia smiled at Rainbow, and she instantly felt better. It had nothing to do with Quick Silver finally breaking her hateful gaze from Rainbow Dash. Huh, Princess Celestia calls Quick Silver that name too...
"Er, no. Well, actually I saw some that Nightmare Night Princess Luna came to town. But I thought they were just pegusi in costume." She left out the part where she thought bat ponies were just a bedtime story, because Celestia knows that was probably some bat pony offense too. Not to mention it probably meant she would have been cut off for a fourth time. Rainbow did like the sound of her voice.
"Yes, bat ponies are a popular costume for pegusi. Rivaled only by the Wonderbolts, especially since Spitfire took over..." Celestia mused. "But the Chiruus, as they're properly called, do exist. Their race has a long history of serving in the guard."
"Specifically, the Night Guard," Luna said proudly as she looked over the once again impassive Quick Silver. "Which is why most ponies today think of them merely as stories to scare foals. The Night Guard was only reinstated a couple years ago after all."
Rainbow figured their boss being on what was thought to be a permanent retirement on the moon would have a bit of a damper on morale, so it was no wonder the Night Guard had been broken up. But it was back, and clearly had members if Quick Silver was anything to judge by. She still didn't see what she was needed for.
"Uh, that's real interesting and all Princesses, and totally no offense, but I'm not sure what the Night Guard has to do with me."
Celestia smiled, and asked, "Tell me Rainbow. What was the first thing that went through your head when you saw Quick Silver for the first time?"
Rainbow thought back, ignoring Quick Silver's ears perking up slightly. What was the first thing that went through her head? I saw her right after I did that awesome corkscrew to right myself after free falling when she... Rainbow's face darkened, and she responded, "I thought she was an enemy, and I wanted to rush her."
Celestia's smile faded, and Luna's eyes narrowed. Quick Silver gave a small snort of satisfaction, and Rainbow whirled on her, hovering just above the ground. "Hey! You bucked a cloud from underneath me! You're lucky I do stunts all the time and know how to straighten myself out midair!"
A musical chuckle made Rainbow land, and turn back towards the princesses. Celestia had a hoof up to her mouth, and was trying to keep in the rest of her laughter. Luna was sighing and shaking her head.
"Okay, what was the second thought that went through your head? That she was strange or unnatural?" Luna asked, while Celestia was still recuperating.
"Hm... Nope, not really. I learned not to judge anyone by their appearance after Zecora. And I used to hang with a griffon. So weird flying things you don't see every day are kinda natural to me at this point."
Celestia was under control at this point, and grinning proudly at Rainbow. "Then you are far better than many, my little pony. Because Chiruus are feared by most who meet them."
"Something they seem to propagate on their own," Luna continued with a glance at Quick Silver. For her part, Quick Silver at least had the decency to look down at the floor instead of meeting Luna's eyes. "Since my return, Equestria has been plagued by evil and villains, a fact you know all too well. The populace has been rather on edge as of late, and it is admittedly hard to blame them. Between Tirek and changelings and everything else, Equestria is not in the mood for any more old foes from the past."
Rainbow frowned. "Old foes? But I thought you said they were part of the Night Guard?"
Luna tilted her head slightly. "Do you remember what happened to them from your studies in school? My sister assured me the Guard were still mentioned in textbooks."
"I, uh..." Rainbow gulped. Where was Twilight when you needed her? "I must have been sick that day... heh."
Celestia smirked, and Quick Silver rolled her eyes. Luna merely nodded, and went on unabashed. "Ah, my apologies. Well, history books will tell you the Night Guard were simply the regular guard that happened to work at night. Then, dark magic from an unknown source corrupted them, and they rebelled in a civil war. This is inaccurate."
Rainbow nodded along, still wildly unsure of where this was all going. Her mind started to wander, and she yet again found herself wondering why she was here. The only real hint she had to go on was that ponies were afraid of the Chiruus. Rainbow couldn't exactly blame them. Especially if leatherwings over there is the first one they meet. Sheesh.
"The Night Guard were explicitly Chiruus, and they fought with me in my attempt to preserve the night forever."
"Wait, what?!" Rainbow exclaimed, looking between Quick Silver and Luna rapidly. Now Luna had her attention.
"As you can see Rainbow Dash, this would cause some tension between ponies and the Chiruus. Just before Nightmare Night last year, Princess Luna sought out the Chiruus in order to reinstate the Night Guard. They agreed, and have been training for some time in order to match the current state of the Royal Canterlot Guard. It was only a few months ago when they were deemed ready, and brought here to Canterlot for full time active duty." Celestia's voice had her usual warm tone when she spoke, but it turned somber as it went on.
"After arriving, they were met with some... opposition." Luna snorted, but Celestia went on like she hadn't heard. "Canterlot nobility is notorious for taking time to warm up to new things, especially new changes in government. Adding a long forgotten race to the ranks of the military, especially one under Luna's sole control..." Celestia trailed off.
"To put it bluntly Rainbow Dash, some ponies still expect me to grow another couple of feet and start screeching about the night lasting forever." Luna spoke matter-of-factly, and Rainbow noticed Quick Silver hissing silently under her breath. "Make no mistake, a majority have welcomed me by this point with open hooves, something I am eternally grateful for. But there are plenty who are not. Coupled with creatures straight out of scary bedtime stories, even those who trust me are wary of the Chiruus and their connection to me. It's why you couldn't fly here. The idiot nobles would have thought she was scouting for an attack or Maker knows what else if Mercury was flying around in the middle of the day." She rolled her eyes.
"Not to mention the public still isn't fully aware of their existence. We're waiting for the nobles to accept the Chiruus before we announce their presence. If any Chiruus in the public is questioned about their wings, they merely answer it's a charm on their armor to give the Night Guard an intimidating look. Even still, we try not to call attention to them, and limit their interactions outside of the castle grounds. Especially their flight. Hopefully for not much longer." Celestia gave the pegasus a meaningful look.
Rainbow felt way out of her league. It sounded like the princesses needed help with the government, and that was definitely something she had no experience with. Mayor Mare wasn't exactly the best government official.
"How did the nobles find out about what the bat ponies did?" Rainbow asked.
Princess Celestia raised her head high and answered. "Somepony asked where they came from, and why my sister wanted them exclusively for her new Night Guard. I told them. I don't like to lie to my little ponies if I can help it." She frowned. "Though I'd hoped they were more reasonable."
"Not to mention when questioned about it, the Chiruus don't deny it, nor have any regrets about what happened so long ago." Luna twisted her mouth as she looked directly at Quick Silver when speaking, the bat pony standing up straighter and sticking her chin out slightly. Rainbow saw a mix of pride and sorrow on the Luna's face.
"Why not?" Rainbow asked, looking right at Quick Silver. Quick Silver clenched her teeth and swished her tail, otherwise not responding.
"That's something we'd like you to find out, Rainbow Dash. My sister and I understand, but the nobility..." Celestia stopped for a moment, searching for the right words.
"Is too stupid?" Luna interjected.
"Is too reliable on others telling them how to think and live comfortably," Celestia tactfully said. "As Luna alluded to earlier, her word on the matter wouldn't be trusted, and some think mine would be too clouded by my desire to appease Luna to cement her of equal status to my own. So we thought, what better way to prove their loyalty to Equestria..."
"Than by the word of the Element of Loyalty herself?" Luna smirked devilishly at Rainbow.
Rainbow's mind went blank. The princesses literally just told her what they wanted her to do, yet Rainbow still had idea what that actually was.
"Wait, so you want me to... find out something you already know?" Rainbow was starting to think very hard in an attempt to understand, and nothing usually came of that except a migraine and a bad mood.
"I realize this is all very confusing and sudden Rainbow Dash, and you have my apologies. But we can't explain their reasoning to you. Some of the more... eccentric nobles found an incredibly old law from shortly after Princess Luna's banishment that deems 'any additional race to the military that are non pure equine in nature must first be accepted admittance as a whole race by a tribunal of pure equines to ensure the safety of the population of Equestria.' The ponies of old hated the Chiruus after the war, and in my grief I signed any bill that was pushed my way."
That sounded fairly complicated, but Rainbow was pretty sure she got the gist of it. But why did some old law matter? Surely the princesses could overrule it?
"But... can't you just tell them to get over it? I thought you could do anything you wanted!" Rainbow voiced her thoughts, looking questioningly at the princess of the day.
"I could Rainbow, but what message does that give our ponies?" Celestia asked. "I'm not-"
"We aren't tyrants," Luna said with a nod to her sister. "I want the Chiruus to be welcomed back, just as my sister welcomed me back. Forcing the nobility to stop discriminating them will not achieve that goal. I refuse to have a schism between the two races. We'd like you to defend the Chiruus race in the tribunal for their grand return to Equestria proper. If you, the Element of Loyalty, can learn about the Chiruus, why they do what they do and are what they are, you can make a case for their return to the Guard. Explain it to the nobility in a way they can understand. In a way you'd understood it yourself."
Rainbow admired the determination in Luna's voice. She doubted the Royal Canterlot Voice would have had more effect. Beside her, Quick Silver was looking at Princess Luna the same way Twilight looks at Princess Celestia. In that moment, Rainbow understood why they looked up to their princesses so much. She grinned wide, accepting the challenge in Luna's eyes.
"All right, I'll get those prissy ponies to stop acting like foals! You can count on me!" Rainbow boasted, puffing her chest out.
"Excellent Rainbow Dash! Then you can leave right away!" Luna exclaimed.
"Leave?" Rainbow's smile became forced.
"Of course! How else will you learn about Chiruus culture and make a case for them? The village you'll be staying at is a fair journey! A week should suffice, and if you leave within the hour I'm sure you'll be there by morning. Plus, I'm sure Mercury is anxious to see her home again."
"Quick Silver is coming?" Her chest deflated.
"Red Tape will need to be informed, Luna."
"Ah, yes! The noble's last hope against the Chiruus oppressors! Come Mercury, let's tell him ourselves. I'm in such a great mood, I may even help him pack!" Princess Luna practically skipped out of the hall, Quick Silver grinning at her princess's antics as she chased after her.
"Red... Tape?" Rainbow asked, falling onto her haunches.
"Yes, he's the pony who will be making a case against the Chiruus. He'll be joining you as you stay in Quick Silver's village, gathering information on why they shouldn't be allowed to join the Royal Canterlot Guard."
She let that sink in. She'd have to spend a week with Quick Silver. She'd have to spend a week with some noble, who for all intents and purposes was the enemy. She'd have to learn. And she'd have to do it in some Celestia forsaken place. Literally.
Rainbow curled into a ball, covered her head with her wings, and waited until she would wake back up on her cloud in Ponyville.
There's no place like home, there's no place like home...