//------------------------------// // PreCommon Era Chapter Eight/PreLunar Rebellion: Chapter Eight: Time away/The Return // Story: Rise of The Lunar Knight // by Moonlit Novel //------------------------------// PreCommon Era Chapter Eight/PreLunar Rebellion: Chapter Eight: Time away/The Return ’So here we stand...’ thought Masao as he looked at the scroll in his hands, the one that had just been delivered to him by pegasus, a pegasus from the royal guard, who did not originally know about Masao as he had just joined the guard not long after Masao had left, not even a week ago. Opening the letter Masao gritted his teeth as he read that some guards were being sent from the castle to collect his travel companion to be dealt with, and a few that would be staying with the couple he had found in the town of Stalliongrad. He read the message, and was ready to continue on with his mission when he noticed that there couple he had saved been looking for him. “Yes?” he asked cautiously and the pair smiled at him as they thanked him once more, “It—… I was no problem, I assure you” he managed to say before he rushed off, his armor clinking against itself. - - - While Masao was having some trouble with the locals of Stalliongrad, Evening Star was starting to be harassed by a few of the newer younger recruits, apparently she was more attractive than she gave herself credit for and once or twice was accosted by one of the stallions and a few of the mares. It had gotten to the point where the older guardsponies would walk her wherever she needed to go, and none of the young recruits were foolish enough to harass the mare when she was in the presence of the princesses who seemed to have adopted her as if she was their own blood. “How art thou doing on this fine night, Evening Star, dear?” asked Celestia as she trotted up to the young bat mare. “I am doing well, Princess. Art thou on thy way to bed?” she asked as she tilted her head to the side as the older mare gentle nuzzled her like a close friend. “Just about, and I thought I would ask thee to join me on a small walk in the garden before I head to bed” said the white alicorn making Evening Star’s eye sparkle for a moment. “It would be a pleasure princess!” - - - Luna sat on her throne, she knew where Evening Star was. Celestia said she was going to be spending some time with the mare before she herself went to bed, but that did nothing to alleviate the boredom that was slowing growing as she refrained from pouting, she finally had a mare friend that wasn’t her sister to spend time with, even if that mare happened to be in a relationship with her human friend. - - - As Celestia bid the bat pony a good night, Evening Star started to head towards the throne room, one of the new guards happened to cross paths with her. “Hello there, what is a fine beauty like thineself doing out traveling the castle as this hour?” asked the unicorn and Evening rolled her eyes as she attempted to walk around him, “Excuse me, I do believe I asked thou a question, Art thou deaf?” Evening Star glared at him trying with all of her might not to buck him in the face. “I heard thou, however, where I go is none of thy business, as I do happen to have seniority over thou, I was a servant here long before you joined the guard.” the young stallion gritted his teeth and grabbed her with his magic. “I see, thou art servant then? Well I happen to need—” “Release Madam Evening Star, Private before I have thou thrown in the dungeon for harming her, she is the mare of Ser Masao Darkheart, and I will damned to Tartarus before I let you harm one hair on her head” said a voice and the stallion whipped his head around to see one of the older guardsponies there glaring at him as if he were a bug. the young guard grumbled quietly and released the mare and went on his way only stopping long enough to whisper something in Evening Star’s ear, and received a buck to the face for his trouble and the mare sticking her nose in the air as she trotted away the older guard staying only a moment before following after her. - - - Luna looked up as Evening burst into the throne room grumbling about a guardspony harassing her, but when Luna asked about it, Evening waved it off saying that she would handle it as long as she could. Of course that was before she was being stared down by both the royal pony sisters, yes Luna had gotten her sister up to help deal with the issue… - - - Masao soon decided he should head home. wait… did he just? Yes he did, he called that castle home, and he realized that he meant it. It had been a couple years since he had left, he had went from village to village rooting out Changeling infiltrators that grew violent, and pointing out to the guard the ones that remained peaceful, mentioning that they were not to be touched unless they grew violent. “But Ser Masao, must you really leave?” asked one of the villagers and Masao nodded in response, smiling softly. “Yes, I left a mare of my own all alone for all this time, and I miss her, I miss my Evening Star” he managed to say without blushing in embarrassment, he truly did miss her and at times when he was quiet he could be seen staring off in the direction of the castle so far in the distance that you couldn’t even see it. Yet he always knew where it was… - - - It took Masao months to traverse the distance between him and the castle, however he did not let that bother him. Twice he was accosted by bandits and rogues and each time he fought them off. When he grew tired he slept off to the side of the road, not even the creatures of the night trespassed on his camping grounds, scared off by the darkness of his soul. Soon after reaching the castle gate he was accosted by some newer members of the guard, who demanded that he leave. When he refused they attempted to order the archers to fire, but several of the archers on duty knew who he was and refused, one of them rushing to the throne room, much to the displeasure of the younger guardsponies in charge. “Stand down guard, I am Ser Masao Darkheart, and you stand in my way” said Masao and the guardspony scoffed at Masao’s words. “As if some strange creature such as thou are Masao, the lover to that beauty, Evening Star” scoffed the pony when the mare in question walked up to the top of the wall. “So thou returns” she said a scowl on her face, at which Masao flinched, “Two years! Two long lonely years Masao! Doest thou think I am a mare you can—” “Evening Star, my love, my best friend, I—” “Don’t… I… I have missed you so, Masao” she said as tears rolled down her cheeks and a smiled adorn her features. “I can not believe thou would lay with such a creature! Have thou no shame?” yelled the young guard before he was about to attack the mare when he heard someone speak up. “We would ask the same of thee, guard, thou dare raise a weapon to our knight’s mare? Thou shalt not live to see the next sunrise if we have anything to say—” started Luna when Masao suddenly appeared on top of the wall a look of anger on his face, behind him a portal of darkness that if one looked carefully would see the ground below. Luna stepped back in surprise, not even she attempted to use that form of transportation as it was fraught with danger. “Guard, you have threatened the wrong mare” said Masao, his sword in his hand ready to end the stallion’s life. Luna shook herself free of her surprise. “Nay, Ser Masao, do not dirty thy blade with his blood. We shall deal with him.”