//------------------------------// // Nightfall // Story: Make Some Friends, Shining Armor! // by HopeFox //------------------------------// Shining Armor cowered in the corner of his bedroom as the eerie black pony stalked towards him. “Please, Nightmare Moon,” he begged, holding out a bag full of candy with his hooves. “Don’t eat me! Look, I gathered lots of candy for you!” “Pitiful foal!” snarled the terrifying alicorn, snatching the bag between her teeth and tossing it across the bedroom. Brightly coloured sweets spilled out over the grey carpet, forming the only trace of colour in the room. “Do you really think you can appease me with this paltry offering? I have returned to feast not on candy, but on ponies!” Behind Nightmare Moon, a trio of timber wolves snarled and snapped their jaws menacingly. “B-but I’m not a pony!” stammered Shining Armor. “I’m just a harmless bunny!” He shook his head, making the ears of his white rabbit costume sway adorably. “You wouldn’t eat a cute little bunny rabbit, would you?” Nightmare Moon bared her fangs and hissed, then lunged at Shining Armor’s throat. He ducked beneath her attack, then hooked his front legs beneath her barrel and flipped her over his head, slamming her into the floor behind him. “Ow!” said Nightmare Moon, holding her hooves up to ward off Shining’s attack. “Sorry, sir, I didn’t mean to startle you!” Shining glared down at Nightmare Moon, and her coat gradually lightened in hue as he came to his senses. He rubbed his eyes, and saw that Corporal Thunderlane was on the floor by his bed. “Ugh, what happened?” he said blearily, shaking his head. Thunderlane hauled himself upright, seeming little the worse for wear. “I came in to wake you, sir, and you were talking in your sleep, something about Nightmare Moon and candy and, uh, bunnies, and then when I tried to wake you up you threw me into the wall.” Shining rubbed the back of his neck with a fetlock. “Oh, gosh, I’m so sorry. I guess I was having a nightmare. I feel like such a foal. Are you alright?” The grey stallion grinned. “Had worse in training, sir. It’s okay. This whole Nightmare Moon thing has got everypony on edge. The sergeant has been poking her spear at every shadow in Ponyville, and Raindrops just seemed really distracted all evening. Do we know any more about the threat yet?” “A little more,” said Shining Armor as he clambered out of bed. “I made a foray into the Everfree Forest this afternoon. I’d like to save that for briefing the Wonderbolts when they arrive, though.” “That’s why I’m here, sir,” said Thunderlane. “The sergeant said you wanted to be woken up as soon as the Wonderbolts got here. She would have come herself, but she’s too busy watching their performance. Becoming a Wonderbolt officer is her lifelong dream, you know.” “I could tell,” agreed Shining as he strapped on his armour, with Thunderlane hurrying to his side to assist him. “Thanks for waking me up. Did you move my gear into the weather station this morning?” Thunderlane nodded. “And I stowed your hot air balloon on the roof, so you’ve got everything where you need it. We don’t often get any serious brass here in Ponyville, so I wanted to make sure everything went smoothly.” Shining Armor bumped Thunderlane’s shoulder with a hoof, and nodded approvingly. “I like that attitude, corporal. It’ll get you a long way.” “I hope so, sir,” said Thunderlane as they walked out of the weather station. “I’d like to make officer one day, or at least sergeant, but competition in Ponyville is pretty fierce. Sergeant Rainbow Dash is the best flyer I’ve ever met, and Corporal Raindrops knows all the ins and outs of rain, which is a pretty big deal in a farming town. Don’t get me wrong, we’re all good friends, but Raindrops and I both know that the only way the leadership of the Ponyville Weather Corps is gonna open up is if Rainbow Dash gets promoted out of here. And the only post she’d leave Ponyville for is a Wonderbolt commission.” He shrugged, leading Shining Armor towards the town square. “And it’s what she wants, anyway, so we’ll all be happy for her if she gets it.” “You know, corporal, you don’t need to be a sergeant to apply for the Wonderbolt Academy. They take corporals, and even privates with exceptional service records. If you want to be a Wonderbolt officer, go for it.” Thunderlane shrugged. “That might be pretty cool. We can’t all be Rainbow Dash, though. If any of us is getting a commission, it’s her. But look, there are the Wonderbolts now!” Shining Armor looked up into the sky over the town hall. Six pegasi clad in blue flight suits soared overhead, trailing smoke and lightning in their wake. All around the town square, ponies ceased their gossiping and dining to turn their faces to the sky, watching the dazzling spectacle. Shining watched the show with interest as he made his way over to where the weather corps was gathered. Most of his interactions with the Wonderbolts were professional meetings with Captain Spitfire and her officers, to coordinate between the Canterlot Defence Guard and the Equestrian National Guard. At times like this, though, it was nice to be able to stand back and appreciate them as performers rather than soldiers. Shining Armor and Thunderlane sidled over to where Sergeant Rainbow Dash and a small herd of other pegasi were clustered near a baked potato stand. “They’re really something, aren’t they, sergeant?” asked Shining Armor, turning to watch the sky once again. “They sure are!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash, her eyes shining with admiration as she watched the Wonderbolts twist and soar across the sky. “That’s going to be me one day, up there in the blue and yellow, strutting my stuff for all of Equestria to see.” Shining Armor looked over the cocky young pegasus appraisingly. “There’s more to being a Wonderbolt than being a stunt flyer, sergeant. As the leaders of the Equestrian National Guard, they need to be the first on the scene for any unexpected dangers that threaten our citizens. That includes both natural disasters and monsters. Are you sure you’re ready for that?” Rainbow Dash stamped a hoof angrily. “You think I don’t have what it takes?” she snorted. She then backed away hastily, ducking her head. “I mean, uh, I have every confidence that I’m up to the challenge, sir! Sorry about that, sir.” “It’s fine, sergeant. Corporal Thunderlane tells me that you’re pretty good in the air. What’s your combat experience?” “We get monsters coming out of the Everfree Forest sometimes. Last month there was a hydra attacking animals in Froggy Bottom Bog, so the ponies tending animals there asked for our assistance in driving it back into the forest. And in autumn, there was a family of manticores causing trouble for the farms near the edge. That was…” Rainbow Dash hung her head. “That didn’t go so well.” Shining Armor reached out to place a hoof on Rainbow Dash’s shoulder. “You lost ponies?” he asked, looking sympathetically at the sergeant. They were words he had said far too many times, to far too many officers. Rainbow Dash nodded. “Just one. Private Cloud Kicker. It’s a shame. She would have liked you.” Thunderlane snorted in amusement. “Darn right she would have. She’d have been all over you. She’d never banged a capta… hi kids!” he said, pitching his voice up half an octave and waving to a small herd of pegasus children who had wandered over to them. “Are you all enjoying the show?” A light grey pegasus colt with dark grey hair jumped into the air, his wings buzzing as he flitted around Thunderlane before landing on his back. “We sure are, BB!” he said, his voice soft and squeaky. “Spitfire is amazing! I wanna be just like her someday!” The colt caught sight of Shining Armor, and hid behind Thunderlane’s head. “Who’s that?” Thunderlane grinned and reached up to tousle the colt’s messy grey mane. “This is Captain Shining Armor, kiddo. He runs the whole Royal Guard and reports straight to Princess Celestia. Captain, this is my little brother, Rumble. Told you he’d want to meet you.” The captain extended his hoof, and Rumble jumped up off his brother’s back and shook his hoof while hovering in the air, his wings kicking up leaves and dust from the ground. “Wow! I never thought I’d meet you! What are you doing in a place like Ponyville?” Shining Armor bit his lip, once again regretting the necessity of keeping his mission secret. “I’m just here to check on preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration, since Princess Celestia is going to be here. We want everything to be perfect for the Princess, right?” He grinned and took a step back, observing the colt’s hovering technique. “Say, you’re quite the flyer. You must be a bit of a star at flight camp, huh?” Thunderlane beamed proudly, and Rumble zipped around Shining Armor’s head, his initial bashfulness gone. “Yeah, it’s great! I’m the fastest flyer in my squad, and the instructors are teaching me all sorts of neat tricks! Major Peregrine says I’m going to make a great National Guard striker one day, but I kinda want to join the Weather Corps like Thunderlane.” Shining Armor smiled, feeling much more at ease with the military cadets that all pegasus children were, than he had been with Diamond Tiara or Apple Bloom. He looked around at the other pegasus children, and saw an orange filly hopping up and down, watching him. “How about you, cadet?” he asked her, watching her wings buzzing. “Are you giving Rumble here a race for his money up in the sky?” The orange filly pawed at the ground, smiling awkwardly. “Yeah, uh, any day now, t-totally!” she stammered, not meeting Shining Armor’s eyes. Rainbow Dash stepped forward and draped her wing across the filly’s shoulders. “This is Scootaloo, my protégé. She’s doing great in flight camp – she’s top of her squad in athletics and weapon drill. She’ll get to flying when she’s good and ready, isn’t that right, squirt?” The filly nodded enthusiastically, smiling up at her mentor. I really seem to have a knack for saying the wrong thing to foals, thought Shining Armor. First Diamond Tiara and her cutie mark, now Scootaloo and flying. They still seemed to like him, though. “Well, I’m glad to hear that. I never knew Ponyville had so many talented cadets. Have you got a mentor yet, Rumble?” he asked the grey colt, who had settled down next to Scootaloo and was about to put her nose into a bag of apple fries. “Not yet,” he said, trotting over to Thunderlane’s side. “I mean, Thunderlane is teaching me a lot of weather stuff, but I’m supposed to get a mentor from outside my family, y’know?” “Oh, right, yeah, pegasus tradition and all that. Well, when they see how you are in the air, they’ll all want to take you on, I’m sure.” Shining Armor knew a little bit about the pegasus tradition of mentorship – mostly that it turned out some of the best soldiers the Royal Guard could ask for. Thunderlane pointed to a pale yellow colt over by an orange juice stand. “That’s my protégé, Featherweight. He’s not a star athlete like these two, but he’s got a keen eye. Might make a good scout if he signs up for the National Guard full-time. I’m still looking for the right mentor for Rumble – he’s got a lot of potential, so he needs a mentor who can help him live up to it.” Shining Armor surveyed the pegasus children, and the adults who stood with them. “It looks like Ponyville is in good hooves, soldiers. Just what I like to see.” Rainbow Dash pointed up at the sky. “Hey, guys, the big finale is coming up!” Shining Armor and the pegasi all looked skyward, eager to witness the spectacle. The six Wonderbolts rose into the air, executing a series of turns, and then folded their wings, diving as one towards the ground in a free fall. The pegasi halted their dives a mere fifty feet above the roof of the town hall, then turned in six different directions, flying across Ponyville and leaving trails of smoke, fire and lightning in their wakes. When they reached the edges of the town, they pulled up into the sky once more and came together at a single point high above the town hall. A shower of orange and yellow fireworks burst from their meeting point, forming an image of an eight-armed sun disk in the sky. All around the town square and beyond, ponies stopped to look up at the sky, murmuring in awe. Shining Armor himself could not help but raise his hoof to his forehead in salute to Princess Celestia’s cutie mark emblazoned across the sky, and Rainbow Dash and the other pegasi all followed suit. As the image faded into the starry darkness above Ponyville, the six Wonderbolts looped around and landed in the town square. The first of them stopped directly in front of Shining Armor, kicking up a cloud of dust as she landed, and the others lined up behind her. The lead pegasus, a yellow mare with bright orange hair, snapped off a salute to Shining Armor. “Captain!” she hailed him, her head held steady as she addressed him. “Captain,” said Shining Armor, returning her salute. He looked over the other Wonderbolts as they lined up next to their captain and saluted him as well. “At ease, ponies,” he told them, and then nodded to the pegasus captain politely. “I’m glad to see your team in such good shape, Captain Spitfire.” “Thank you, Captain Shining Armor,” said Spitfire, stretching out her wings and giving them a shake. “It’s always good to perform for the Summer Sun Celebration. I think it’s a great way to ring in the solstice, and honour the Princess. When is she due to arrive?” “About an hour before dawn. Now that you’re here, though, I want to hold a briefing with your squad and the weather corps. We’ll meet in the weather station in ten minutes.” “Ten minutes?” said one of the other Wonderbolts, a light blue stallion with darker blue hair. “But sir, we only just finished our show! We need to sign autographs and hit the food stalls!” He sniffed the air, looking longingly towards a stall being run by Applejack. Shining Armor trotted in front of the blue Wonderbolt and glared at him disapprovingly. “What’s your name, major?” he asked, noting the pony’s rank insignia. “Soarin, sir,” said the pegasus stallion, and he saluted Shining Armor but had trouble meeting his gaze. “I was just saying…” “That you don’t think our duty to Equestria is important? That you’ve got somewhere more interesting to be? That you’d rather be stuffing your muzzle with apple pie than sitting through a briefing from the Captain of the Royal Guard?” Major Soarin looked at the ground uncomfortably. “No, sir. It’s just that signing autographs and mingling with fans is an important part of being an entertainer.” “We’re not entertainers tonight, major. We’re soldiers.” He turned back to Spitfire, making sure not to violate the pegasus chain of command. “Ten minutes, Captain Spitfire. I expect to see your entire squad there. Yours too, Sergeant Rainbow Dash.” “Is that really necessary, captain?” asked Spitfire, frowning. “I’d much rather give my squad a break before throwing them straight back into Royal Guard business.” Shining Armor looked uncomfortably at all of the pegasi staring at him, from Spitfire and Soarin, to Rainbow Dash and Thunderlane, to the children. “It’s… important. I can’t order you or your squad to do anything, but I have instructions from Princess Celestia to review preparations and security for the Summer Sun Celebration, and I want the Wonderbolts to be part of that review.” Spitfire turned to look at the rest of her squad, then sighed. “Alright, sir. We’ll be there. Squad, find something to eat if you’re hungry, and be at the weather station in ten minutes.” Rainbow Dash saluted both of the captains, then hurried off to gather her own squad. Shining Armor could hear grumbling from the pegasi as he walked away towards the weather station, but he did his best not to listen. “Alright, is everypony here?” Shining Armor looked over the ponies gathered in the weather station. Captain Spitfire stood to attention, while the rest of her squad lounged on the floor. Major Soarin was eating noisily from a plate of apple pie. Rainbow Dash was hovering near the middle of the room, waiting impatiently. The rest of the weather corps had made themselves comfortable, except for Corporal Raindrops, who was pacing nervously across the room, stretching and folding her wings restlessly. Prince Blueblood had already paid a visit to the weather station, along with Miss Rarity, who had been quite willing to include the station in her grand tour of Ponyville for the prince. Faced with either separating Blueblood from Rarity for the confidential briefing, or letting both of them go back to the celebration, he had made by far the more practical choice. “We’re all here, captain,” said Spitfire. “What’s the situation?” Shining Armor gestured to a projection screen against one wall of the weather station, and illuminated it with a beam from his horn, displaying the pictures from The Tale of the Royal Pony Sisters. “We have reason to believe that this year’s Summer Sun Celebration will be attacked by Nightmare Moon.” Major Soarin groaned and rolled his eyes. “Nightmare Moon? Seriously? We had to bail on the Summer Sun Celebration for this?” “Quiet, rookie,” Spitfire ordered, and gave the talkative blue stallion a stern glare. “Are you sure about this, sir?” she asked Shining Armor, eyeing the projection skeptically. “Isn’t Nightmare Moon just an old pony tale? It doesn’t sound like something worth mobilizing the guard over.” Shining Armor bit his lip to hold back an exasperated sigh, then projected a few more images from the book onto the screen. “We can’t be certain either way, captain. This text states that Nightmare Moon was a real threat – Princess Celestia’s own sister, who turned to evil and tried to bring about night-time eternal. She was imprisoned within the moon for her crimes – which is said to be the source of the Mare in the Moon, as you can see outside.” He pointed to one of the high windows, though which the moon, and the dark splotches resembling a unicorn’s head, could clearly be seen. Is it brighter than usual? Shining Armor wondered. Or is that just my imagination playing tricks on me? He shook his head and turned back to face the soldiers before him. “Princess Celestia has neither confirmed nor denied the threat of Nightmare Moon in particular, but she has asked me to ensure that security for tomorrow’s celebration is strengthened. I’ve had the Ponyville Weather Corps on patrol all evening. Anything to report, Sergeant Rainbow Dash?” Rainbow Dash touched down in the middle of the room, saluting Shining Armor smartly. “Sir! My corporals and I have been patrolling the Ponyville perimeter with the troops. I haven’t encountered anything very suspicious, but the shadows just feel deeper and more creepy. And some of them move when I’m not watching them, I’m sure of it.” She tossed her head in agitation, her rainbow mane shifting from side to side. “Maybe I’m just edgy because of what you said about Nightmare Moon, but I’m getting the same feeling I got the night before the manticore attack on Sweet Apple Acres. Something’s coming, but I don’t know what, or when.” Thunderlane stepped up beside Rainbow Dash to give his report. “Sir! I took a patrol over the Everfree Forest just before sunset. There’s definitely more activity in there than usual. It’s hard to see through the canopy, but I spotted a couple of large creatures moving around. When we took a look at the perimeter of the forest, the smaller animals were all hiding, and it was dead silent. If I had to guess, I’d say the monsters were gearing up for an attack, and all of the little critters had bunkered down to weather the storm. “That’s a bad sign, if you ask me, sir. As the sergeant says, we have a few monster attacks from time to time, but they’re not coordinated. If lots of monsters are getting ready for an assault, that means there’s somepony or something directing them. Could be Nightmare Moon for all we know.” Shining Armor nodded to the two pegasi. “That’s valuable information, ponies, and it confirms my own observations. What about you, Corporal Raindrops? Anything to report?” The pale golden mare kept pacing around the room, opening and closing her wings, showing no sign that she had heard Shining Armor. Rainbow Dash waved a hoof in front of Raindrops’s face. “Corporal! Report!” Raindrops suddenly snapped to attention, standing up straight and folding her wings tightly against her sides. “Yes ma’am! And sir! Reporting… yes!” She shivered uncomfortably, her gaze darting around the room before settling on Shining Armor. “I’m sorry, sir. I haven’t been able to concentrate on anything since the sun went down. I’ve got this horrible sense of impending doom, and my wings itch like I’ve got the feather flu.” She snapped her wings open and closed again, nervously shuffling her hooves. Shining Armor took a step towards Raindrops, concern on his face. “Are you alright to serve tonight, corporal? If you need to take tonight off, there are more than enough soldiers here to fill in for you.” Raindrops nodded, drawing her head up straight. “I’ll be fine, sir. It’s probably just nerves, like the sergeant said. If Nightmare Moon does come tonight, I’ll be ready to fight her alongside everypony else.” “Glad to hear it, corporal. Now, as for my own report, I made a foray into the Everfree Forest in the afternoon. I came across a statue of Nightmare Moon that had three timber wolves lurking around it. There were signs of several other monsters in the area, too. It’s not proof of Nightmare Moon’s existence, but at least the monsters think that she’s real, and maybe that she’s coming back. What’s your opinion on the situation now, Captain Spitfire?” Spitfire mulled over the various reports for a few moments, then nodded her head. “I’m satisfied that there’s a threat, sir, whether it’s Nightmare Moon or not. Wonderbolts, I want you on alert tonight. We’ll have three ponies flying a perimeter sweep, while the other three mingle with the crowd and keep an eye out for any threats within the town borders. Sergeant Rainbow Dash, you do the same with your squad. Have the civilian authorities been informed, sir?” Shining Armor nodded. “The mayor knows that there’s a risk of an attack, and has agreed to support our efforts however she can. We need to keep this low-key to avoid causing a panic. The townsfolk are safest if they stay together at the celebration, not scattered at their homes. Wear your armour, but keep your weapons in one of the back rooms at the town hall until I give the order to arm up. We want to remind ponies that they’re being protected, but not give them reason to be afraid.” Rainbow Dash and Spitfire saluted smartly. “Got it, sir!” said Rainbow Dash. “Hey, how about we put on some jousting? That way, nopony will wonder why we’re in our armour, and kids love jousting.” “Great idea, sergeant!” said Spitfire. “Have you got lances here? Good! Gear up and I’ll meet you and your team in an hour.” She swept a wing to signal the other Wonderbolts to follow her, waited to be dismissed by Shining Armor, and led them out into Ponyville, to patrol and entertain. Rainbow Dash stared at Spitfire’s retreating form in astonishment, then started jumping up and down and beating her wings excitedly. “I’m jousting with the Wonderbolts!” she squealed, grinning at the rest of the weather team. Shining Armor chuckled and shook his head. “You won’t be so happy in a little bit. I’ve seen Captain Spitfire fight. I only know one mortal who can beat her, and it’s certainly not me.” “Yeah, but I’ll be jousting with Spitfire! There just aren’t words to describe how awesome that is! Uh, are we dismissed, sir?” “You’re dismissed, Ponyville weather corps. Keep the ponies safe and happy, and make the Royal Guard proud.” Rainbow Dash and the other weather ponies saluted and flew out to serve their duty. Shining Armor watched them leave, eyeing Corporal Raindrops with concern, then followed after them. Prince Blueblood was having a wonderful night. Ponyville was not quite the cultural desert he had feared it to be. It had dirt and uncultured peasants like all rural villages, but it also had fine dining, courtesy of Haute Cuisine, and proper grooming from the two fine mares who ran the Day Spa. Most importantly, it had both elegance and sophistication in the form of Miss Rarity. Rarity may have been a commoner, but there was nothing common about this unicorn. Her style, grace and poise were worthy of the finest aristocrats of Canterlot. In addition to all of that, she had the spark of true creative genius that he had witnessed in so few ponies other than himself. Rarity had designed all of the decorations for the Summer Sun Celebration, and made sure he had the chance to admire it everywhere they went. She was the soul of hospitality, as well, always being sure to take care of trivialities such as opening doors and paying vendors as they toured her hometown. After watching the Wonderbolts perform, they had been joined by Diamond Tiara and her friend Silver Spoon, a similarly elegant and gregarious young filly who wanted to know all about life in Canterlot. Being the centre of attention was one of Blueblood’s favourite pastimes, and he entertained them with his stories of the Grand Galloping Gala and Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, and the latest gossip from the crème de la crème of Equestrian society. The two fillies eventually galloped off to watch the jousting matches, and Blueblood and Rarity were left to explore the town at their leisure once more. “So tell me, Prince Blueblood,” she said as they walked together towards the town square, enjoying the warm summer night. “Is Princess Celestia truly as beautiful and spectacular as she appears in paintings and photographs? I’ve always wanted to visit Canterlot – it’s where I truly belong, you know – but between my work and my family, I’ve never had the chance.” “I’m not sure I’m the pony to ask about her beauty, Miss Rarity,” replied Blueblood. “She is my grandmother, after all. She is most majestic, though, especially at ceremonies like the Summer Sun Celebration. If anypony here tonight will surpass my own splendour, it is she.” “Hmm, yes, quite,” murmured Rarity, turning her head away from Blueblood and rolling her eyes. “As to her beauty, I do know that Prince Cerulean Skies was extremely fond of her,” continued Blueblood, oblivious to Rarity’s gesture. “Prince Cerulean Skies… he was her most recent consort, was he not? Princess Cadance’s father, and your grandfather?” “Indeed he was. I don’t remember him very well, but I do remember that he and Grandmother loved each other very much. He died when I was just a little colt, fighting griffons in the last war.” Blueblood stopped and looked at the ground, sighing deeply. “They say there was no summer the year he died, just a long cold spring and autumn as Grandmother spent the year in mourning. I don’t think that’s actually true, or the peasants wouldn’t have been able to grow their crops properly, but I do remember how sad she was.” Rarity paused and looked at Blueblood intently for a few moments. “You’re not quite what I expected, your highness,” she said, in a thoughtful tone. Blueblood brightened again, and ran a hoof through his long blonde mane. “I know, very few ponies are prepared for my glamour in person. On the subject of my family, did I mention that my father is descended from the ancient unicorn royal family?” Rarity rolled her eyes again as Blueblood groomed himself. “You did, twice. I don’t find it at all difficult to believe that Princess Platinum is among your ancestors.” The pair strolled on until they reached the town square, and looked around at the array of entertainment and vendors’ stalls. All around the square, ponies were selling food, drinks and souvenirs. One pony was offering face painting for foals, while his partner sketched visitors in front of the Ponyville town hall. Blueblood trotted amongst the crowd, holding his muzzle high to avoid mingling with the peasants around him. “Ugh. This is just as dreadful as I expected it would be. Truly, Miss Rarity, you are the shining beacon of sophistication in this desolate wasteland of culture, and your young apprentice the sole hope for its future.” “I… suppose I should take that as a compliment, Prince Blueblood, but Ponyville isn’t all that bad,” Rarity insisted, biting her lip as she looked around the square. “It takes all types of ponies to make up a town like this one.” “All types of incompetence, you mean,” muttered Blueblood, as he glared at a stall selling Summer Sun Celebration memorabilia, and levitated a small wooden statue of Princess Celestia raising the sun. “Look at the craftsponyship of this rubbish.” “I’ll admit that I would not be proud of such work myself,” Rarity replied, while the pony behind the stall looked downcast. “But it’s hardly rubbish.” “My grandmother’s coat is not pink!” Blueblood insisted, setting the statue back down. “I expected better standards from the town chosen to host the Summer Sun Celebration.” He rolled his eyes as they approached a stall selling caramel apples and apple pastries. “Oh, wonderful. More peasants trying to sell us carnival fare.” “Howdy, folks!” one of the ponies behind the stall greeted them. “I bet y’all would like a caramel apple, apple fritter, apple… oh, it’s you, Rarity.” She glared at Rarity, forgoing the rest of her speech. “I’m sure we ain’t got nothing that’s up to your standards, Miss Prissy.” Rarity turned up her muzzle in a perfect imitation of Blueblood’s own. “I should think not, Applejack. The Prince and I have already dined at Haute Cuisine’s Fine Dining, and we have no intention of lowering the quality of our evening with your common muck.” Applejack fumed and seemed ready to jump over the stall, but the tall red stallion beside her put a hoof on her shoulders. “Easy now, sis,” he murmured, before looking over at Prince Blueblood. “Sure we can’t tempt you with anything, your highness?” he asked hopefully. “I must concur with my genteel companion, sir,” said Blueblood, in an icily restrained tone. “I would rather crawl through every puddle on your muddy roads than sully my royal lips with your low-class provender.” The red stallion sighed and shook his head as Blueblood and Rarity moved along with their muzzles in the air. “I suppose I should feel guilty about that,” said Rarity, “but I don’t mind when it’s Applejack. I do make allowances for the rest of Ponyville lacking my sophistication, but that pony is simply insufferable.” “I absolutely agree, Miss Rarity,” said Blueblood, glad that his date seemed to be coming around to his way of thinking. “When you are a pony of quality, it behoves you to hold yourself above the common rabble, lest you be dragged down to their level.” The next stall bore an array of cookies and cakes, and was tended by a middle-aged unicorn couple, a white stallion and a pink mare. The mare levitated a tray of cookies towards Blueblood. “Try one of my homemade cookies, sir?” she said, grinning hopefully. “Or my rose velvet cake? Everypony says it’s to die for.” Rarity opened her mouth to speak, but Blueblood was quicker. “Cookies and rose velvet cake? You peasants never run out of ways to plumb new culinary depths, do you? I still can’t believe my grandmother chose this one-horse town to host her for the Summer Sun Celebration. You should be ashamed even to show your faces in her presence, or mine! Why don’t you go back to whatever burrow you crawled out of this morning, and leave the celebration to your betters?” The unicorn couple gaped at Blueblood, open-mouthed. Rarity, on the other hand, looked furious, her white coat turning an angry shade of red. “Is this guy bothering you, Rarity?” asked the stallion behind the stall. “You want me to teach him a lesson?” “Thank you, Father, but I have the situation quite well in hoof,” said Rarity, her voice cold and clipped. “Mother, I’ll take a rose velvet cake, please.” Blueblood waved a hoof in front of his body and started to back away as Rarity advanced towards him, levitating an entire cake alongside her. “Miss Rarity, I assure you, I meant no insult to you and your family…” “Then you should have thought of that before you insulted them!” shrieked Rarity, her lips curling back in rage. “I have been patient throughout this disaster of a date, and ignored your utter lack of chivalry, because you are a guest in Ponyville, a royal guest at that, and it is my duty to be a good host and entertain our visitors. But when your boorishness affected not only me, but my fellow Ponyvillians, that was when you crossed the line!” “I had no idea they were your parents, I promise!” protested Blueblood as he backed away from Rarity, who was now brandishing the cake like a weapon. “If I had known…” “It shouldn’t matter! Everypony in Ponyville is somepony’s mother, or sister, or daughter, or at least somepony’s friend. If I am the only pony in Ponyville who has your regard, then I do not want it either! And if ‘Just don’t insult anypony’ is too difficult for you, then perhaps this is a lesson you will understand!” With that, Rarity hurled the cake at Blueblood’s head with her magic. Blueblood shrieked and covered his face with his front legs, bracing for the impact. After a few seconds, he peeked between his hooves, and saw that the cake had instead splattered all over a glowing rosy force field, hovering between him and Rarity. Captain Shining Armor strode out of the crowd and stood in front of Rarity. “I’m very sorry, Miss Rarity, but I must ask you to step away from the prince. I know you just wanted to throw a cake at him, and believe me I sympathise, but I am responsible for his safety.” Rarity looked from Blueblood to Shining Armor, then hung her head. “Oh dear. I do apologise, captain. That was very low of me, and I apologise for putting you to the trouble of reining in my temper. It shall not happen again, particularly as I do not intend to speak with his highness again.” Rarity slipped behind the stall to talk to her family, while Shining Armor rounded on Blueblood. “I can’t take you anywhere, can I, your highness?” he asked, staring at the panicky prince in disbelief. “What did you do?” Blueblood snorted angrily, then shook his head and looked at the ground. “I insulted her parents in front of her,” he admitted reluctantly. Shining pressed his hoof to his forehead. “Of all the… what in Equestria possessed you to do that?” Blueblood looked around the town square, gesturing at the stalls and the crowds. “It’s this village. It’s just so… rustic, so messy, so working class. And the food…” He shuddered, shifting his hooves awkwardly. “You know I’m no stranger to physical hardship, captain. I’ve trekked through tangled jungles and murky swamps, but at least I brought my own food with me. Outside of a few select establishments, this town is simply unbearable.” Shining’s expression softened slightly. “I understand that this isn’t the Summer Sun Celebration you had in mind, your highness. But we both have our duty to Equestria and to the Princess. Our personal comfort and feelings don’t signify when duty calls.” The young prince took a few deep breaths. “It’s not what I hoped for, no. But you’re right, we have a duty to ensure that…” He trailed off and flicked his eyes around at the crowd surrounding them. “That the Summer Sun Celebration is a success.” “We do. I’m glad you see it that way.” “And what about your duty to my grandmother, to make some friends as she instructed?” “That’s a lower priority,” insisted Shining Armor, waving a hoof dismissively. “Now, listen, we’ve got two hours before Princess Celestia and her retinue arrive. I’ve briefed the Wonderbolts on the situation, so we’re free until then. We should find something to…” “Hi captain!” cried a small voice, and Shining felt a pair of hooves wrap themselves around his hind leg. He looked down and saw Diamond Tiara grinning up at him. A well-dressed grey filly stood near her, looking up at the two Canterlot unicorns with an expression of awe. “Oh, uh, hi there, Diamond Tiara,” said Shining Armor, gently extricating his leg from her grasp. “Is this a friend of yours?” he asked, indicating the grey filly. Diamond Tiara cleared her throat and curtseyed gracefully to Shining. “Captain, may I present Miss Silver Spoon, from the Silver family, of course. Silver Spoon, this is Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard, and you’ve met Prince Blueblood already.” Silver Spoon shook Shining’s hoof politely, still looking up at him in awe. “A pleasure to meet you, captain,” she said. “Wow, Di, you really do have the coolest friends!” “I know. I guess I just have a gift for making friends with the most important ponies around. Isn’t that right, your highness?” “Quite right,” agreed Blueblood, as he stepped forward and scooped up Silver Spoon with his magic, depositing her to ride on his back. He held his head up high, his moment of embarrassment and humility having vanished without a trace. Silver Spoon arranged herself regally on the prince’s shoulders, while Diamond Tiara trotted alongside him, the perfect picture of a young princess. Blueblood seems to have a knack for getting along with children, thought Shining. At least the ones who flatter his ego. “Hey, captain, can I ask you something?” said Diamond Tiara as they made their way through the vendors’ stalls. “Sure, go ahead,” said Shining Armor absently. He had stopped to examine a blown glass sculpture of Celestia’s cutie mark, which almost seemed to glow with an inner yellow light as he held it up to a lamp. “When are you and Princess Cadance getting married?” Shining Armor gave a startled whinny and dropped the sculpture, which shattered into a dozen pieces. Embarrassed, he hastily signed a promissory note for the pony behind the stall. “So sorry. Take that to the weather team, and they’ll cash it for you,” he assured him, and then turned to look at Diamond Tiara with a long-suffering sigh. “Whoever said I was going to marry Princess Cadance?” Prince Blueblood grinned awkwardly. “Now, captain, the girls wanted to know all about my family, and I thought I would share my sister’s future plans, which, ah, do involve you quite substantially. You’re all she ever talks about, really.” “And it’s all over the gossip pages in Ponies magazine, too,” added Silver Spoon helpfully. “Everypony knows you’re tipped to be Equestria’s next prince. It’s going to be the wedding of the century!” Shining Armor shook his head and pressed a hoof against his temples. “Great, not this again. Aren’t you girls a bit young to be reading Ponies? And you, highness,” he said, rounding on Blueblood, “Aren’t you a bit old for this sort of thing? I expect this from Twilight and Moondancer and their herd of gossipy schoolfillies, not from you.” “What’s the matter, captain?” asked Diamond Tiara. “Don’t you like her?” “I don’t… it’s not that I don’t like her,” he explained, softening his voice as he knelt down to address the two fillies. “Princess Cadance is a wonderful pony, and I’m sure she’ll make somepony very happy someday. But that pony isn’t going to be me. I’m the Captain of the Royal Guard, and that means I have a lot of responsibilities. I don’t have room in my life to be marrying anypony, even a princess.” “I don’t see why not,” said Diamond Tiara. She looked off into the distance and sighed. “I’d give anything to be able to marry a princess.” “I think you might be out of luck, there, kid,” said Shining Armor, trying not to laugh at the filly’s ambitions. “Princess Cadance and Princess Azure are both a bit too old for you, so unless you’re planning to marry Princess Celestia herself, I don’t think you’re going to get your wish.” Prince Blueblood raised a hoof to interject. “The Duke and Duchess of Maretania have a filly around your age. Maybe I could introduce you the next time they’re in Canterlot. There are worse places to live than the ducal palace in Mareakesh.” Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Who cares about being a duchess?” She pouted and scratched at the ground. “It’s not fair. I never get anything I want.” “Ah, there you are, my dear captain!” came the voice of Filthy Rich, as he strode up alongside a light purple earth pony mare, whom Shining was sure he recognized from somewhere. “I hope the girls aren’t giving you any trouble?” “Uh, no, they’re both very well behaved,” said Shining, stepping forward to greet Rich. “Listen, you and the Mayor have done a great job with the celebration tonight. I’m glad to see all the ponies distracted. I mean enjoying themselves. Everypony looks relaxed.” “You’re quite welcome, captain,” said Rich. “We have a good number of annual festivals here in Ponyville, and I hope we’ll see you here for a few more in the near future! Tell your friends back in Canterlot. Oh, and before I forget, I’d like to introduce my wife…” “Diamond Dazzle?” blurted out Shining Armor, his mouth hanging open. The beautiful purple mare standing next to Filthy Rich brushed back her long white mane with one hoof and smiled a dazzling smile. “Well, well,” she said, laughing musically. “It’s good to know that I haven’t completely faded into obscurity.” The last time Shining Armor had seen Diamond Dazzle, she had been modelling a set of red and white striped socks in an issue of Clothes Horse magazine. Or, rather, on a page from Clothes Horse magazine that was pinned to the wall of the stallions’ barracks at the Royal Academy in Canterlot. For all Shining knew, it was still there. “I, ah, you, er…” stammered Shining Armor, unable to meet Diamond Dazzle’s gaze. “I remember you from Clothes Horse. You, uh, you were in it a lot when I was in training.” “Really?” she asked, still smiling broadly. Her husband chuckled and stepped up alongside her, nudging her shoulder with his nose. “I didn’t realise the fashion scene was so popular among the Royal Guard.” Shining rubbed the back of his neck with a hoof, trying to suppress the blush that was peeking through his coat. “Well, uh, we all loved your work! Everypony in the academy did. I hadn’t heard that you were married, though.” Diamond Dazzle kept her smile up, but her ears drooped noticeably. “The magazines lost interest in me after I moved to Ponyville, but that’s life. It’s lovely to see you getting along so well with my husband and my filly. They both speak very highly of you and the prince.” “Really?” Shining Armor looked around in surprise, seeing Filthy Rich’s approving nod and Diamond Tiara’s adoring grin. “I’m really just here in my official capacity as Captain and Overseer, but I suppose… making some friends along the way isn’t a bad thing.” “That’s the spirit!” said Prince Blueblood, clapping Shining Armor on the shoulder. “Come along, we should watch the jousting. I’m quite fond of it, and I’m sure you’d like to see the weather corps in action.” “You’re right, I would,” said Shining. “It was an honour meeting you, Mrs. Diamond,” he said, making an awkward bow to Diamond Dazzle. “I’m sure I’ll see you all at dawn.” As the two unicorns wandered off towards the jousting field, they saw Filthy Rich and his family trot over to the Apple family stall. Rich quickly monopolized Applejack’s attention, while Diamond Dazzle and Big Macintosh struggled vainly to get Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara to be friendly to each other. Maybe Celestia was right, Shining Armor thought as they walked. Maybe making friends won’t be such a chore after all, even if it is getting in the way of my duties. In a fallow field belonging to one of Ponyville’s farms, the pegasi had set up a jousting list. One fence of the field had been designated as the tilt, so that ponies could joust on either side of it without risking a collision. A Ponyville flag was planted at the southern end of the tilt, and a banner bearing the Wonderbolt crest stood at the northern end. As Shining Armor and Prince Blueblood approached the list, a huge white pegasus stallion sailed through the air – not under his own power – and landed at their hooves in a heap. Before they could help him up, he sprang to his hooves with a mighty bellow of “YEAH!!”, and flew back towards the list on wings that seemed too tiny to support his weight. Blueblood grinned as he watched the pegasus join the crowds surrounding the tilt. “It seems the pegasi are getting into the spirit of the joust,” he said, continuing forward. “That must have been quite a blow that one took.” “It can get pretty rough,” Shining Armor agreed. “You know what pegasi are like, though. Do you joust, your highness?” “Me? Of course not, captain,” said Blueblood, tossing his mane. “It’s a bit too barbaric for me. Not to mention messy. Mother is an expert jouster, though, as is expected of a princess. I’m merely an avid spectator of the sport.” When the two unicorns arrived at the list, they saw three of the Wonderbolts standing near their banner, and several ponies from the Ponyville weather team clustered under their flag. Other ponies kept a safe distance from the action and cheered on the jousters. As Shining Armor approached the Wonderbolts, the huge white stallion walked forward and shook hooves with Major Soarin, who seemed to have won their tilt. “Glad you could make it, captain,” said Spitfire as she came forward to greet him. “I’ve got Colonel Fleetfoot and Major Soarin with me, the others are patrolling the edges of town.” Shining Armor looked around the field, seeing Ponyville pegasi lined up at both ends of the tilt, with earth ponies and unicorns, adults and foals alike, watching eagerly. “You’ve drawn quite a crowd,” he observed. “Ponies do love the Wonderbolts.” “They do, but do you know what else Ponyville ponies love?” She pointed at a rainbow-maned figure in sky blue armour, hovering in front of a herd of cheering fans. “Their sergeant. She sure knows how to put on a show for her fans, too.” “I heard you’d had your joust already. How did it go?” asked Shining Armor. Spitfire laughed. “She pulled some punk-filly feint that might have been clever if she were tilting against her friends at flight school, but when she was in flight school, I was a Wonderbolt major. I toyed with her for a few passes, then knocked her clear across the field.” “She lost? You wouldn’t know it to look at her. She’s soaking up attention like she just won the Best Young Flier contest. I guess even losing to the captain of the Wonderbolts makes a pony look good.” “Oh, don’t get me wrong. She’s got talent. I worked up a sweat before I beat her. She has some impressive moves for a rookie. And she’s fast. Damn fast. She’s got the skills to make it as a Wonderbolt officer. Don’t tell her I said that, of course. But if her service record matches her talents, I want her in my squad.” A few Ponyville ponies were approaching the Wonderbolt end of the tilt, led by the pegasus children, Scootaloo and Rumble. “Hi, captain!” Scootaloo greeted her. “Are you going to be jousting tonight?” Shining Armor cleared his throat awkwardly. “Ah, no, I’m much too busy for…” he began, but both Prince Blueblood and Spitfire shook their heads silently at him, and Blueblood made a meaningful nod towards Canterlot – remember Celestia’s orders was the implied instruction. “I mean… of course! I’ve got to show you kids what all that training is good for, right?” The children stomped their hooves in glee, and Blueblood nodded in approval. “Well, captain,” said Spitfire, “looks like we’ll be tilting against one another. Nopony else here is a match for the Captain of the Royal Guard, after all.” Shining swallowed hard. “I’d rather fight a dragon,” he admitted, slowly backing away from Spitfire. “Come on,” she chided, slapping him on the shoulder. “It’ll be fun. And I’ve seen you fight dragons. Remember all the fun we had with that one in Baltimare?” “You and I remember Baltimare very differently,” grumbled Shining Armor. “Alright, I suppose there’s no getting out of it. Just make sure you don’t hit me in the face – I’m recovering from a broken nose.” He looked around at the pegasus children, and pointed a hoof at one of them. “You, cadet, uh…” “Scootaloo, sir!” “Cadet Scootaloo, fetch me a lance and a jousting harness. And some water and a towel for after.” “Yes, sir!” said the little orange pegasus, and she galloped off on her errand with an air of great importance. Spitfire smiled approvingly at him, after giving her own orders to Rumble. “She looked pretty happy. You really do have a way with kids, don’t you?” Shining shrugged. “I have a way with cadets. They’re all so excited about being part of the Royal Guard. Can’t wait to finish their training and be out there defending ponies, being heroes. It’s good to give them tasks that remind them that they’re an important part of the force, even if it’s going to be many years before their first battle.” Spitfire nodded. “Foals are the future. You and I won’t be around forever, and the Princess knows it’s about time we had a new captain for the Foreign Legion. Why he doesn’t retire is anypony’s guess. But we could be looking at a future National Guard captain right here among these pegasus kids. I’m impressed with the Ponyville cadets. I’m looking forward to seeing them at training next winter.” The pegasus foals returned with their supplies, and Shining Armor kitted himself out with a lance and harness. If he were wielding a lance in actual battle, against a dragon or a hydra, he would be using a rotating lance harness, which he could turn to cover a wide angle in front of his charge, if he didn’t simply dispense with the harness altogether and wield the lance with his levitation magic. The standard harness for competitive jousting lacked this flexibility, so the precise positioning of a jouster’s body was critical to their success. He turned to face Spitfire, and the two captains saluted each other, then lowered the visors on their helmets. They then trotted to opposite ends of the tilt and took up their positions. “Fillies and gentlecolts!” came a voice from just above the tilt. Shining Armor looked up and saw Soarin hovering above the field, accompanied by Rainbow Dash. Looking around, he saw that the entire crowd was encircling the field, eyes eagerly fixed on the two jousters. “Tonight, we bring you the ultimate battle of pony jousting! At the northern end, captain of the Equestrian National Guard and leader of the Wonderbolts, Captain Spitfire!” Colonel Fleetfoot gave a rousing cheer for Spitfire, which was taken up by the rest of the crowd, especially the Ponyville pegasi. Spitfire waved to the crowd as they cheered and stomped their hooves. “And at the southern end,” announced Rainbow Dash in an impressive voice with only a hint of her usual squeak, “the captain of the Canterlot Defence Guard, the strong right hoof of Princess Celestia, Captain Shining Armor!” Shining bit his lip as the crowd erupted into cheers, waving and stomping to show their support for him. He saw several of the visiting Apple family ponies cheering him on, and Thunderlane was hovering in the air and shouting encouragement. Raindrops seemed as distracted as before, but she still managed to stomp her hooves and grin encouragingly at him. Blueblood had produced a Canterlot flag from somewhere and was levitating it above his head, waving it wildly. All in all, he found the attention intimidating. Once again, these weren’t ponies he could control with orders and drill lessons, hiding behind the mask of the steadfast guard captain. They wanted something from him – they wanted to see a show, to watch him tilt against Spitfire for their entertainment, when all he wanted was to do his duty and go home. Soarin waved the flag that signalled the start of the joust, and Shining Armor began galloping forward, but his usual combat focus was elusive. On any other day, he could have blocked out the entire world except for his target, and brought all of his skills to bear in a perfect display of his training. Today, he couldn’t stop thinking about the crowd, Princess Celestia’s orders, Blueblood’s vigilance in ensuring he carried out those orders, all the Ponyville villagers looking to him for inspiration, and the soldiers expecting him to know what to do about Nightmare Moon. That was the worst part of all – he didn’t know what to do. Two days ago, he had thought Nightmare Moon was simply a story invented to frighten foals. Now, the evidence was mounting that she was real, but what could he do against her? Would an army be of any use? Were the Elements of Harmony real, and if so, could he find them in the Everfree Forest? Could he use them if he found them? And instead of looking for them, he was stuck in Ponyville trying to make friends, the absolute worst possible use of his time. Shining saw Spitfire thundering down the list towards him, and he gritted his teeth and resolved to make the best jousting attempt he could. He angled his body so that the rounded tip of his lance would strike Spitfire in the chest, but just as they came together, she twisted her body and his lance skidded harmlessly off her armour. A fraction of a second later, her lance struck him squarely in the chest, knocking him into the air and leaving him sprawling in a heap near Thunderlane and Raindrops. The crowd erupted into cheers and applause as the two corporals helped him back onto his hooves. “Ugh, that’s going to leave a bruise,” he groaned. “I hope I didn’t look too foalish out there.” Thunderlane grinned and clapped Shining on the shoulder. “Nah, you did great, sir. It could have gone either way, and everypony knows how tough Spitfire is, after she wiped out the sergeant.” Spitfire walked towards Shining Armor, her helmet tucked under one wing. Behind her came Scootaloo and Rumble, both carrying towels and buckets of water. “Nice job out there, captain,” she said loudly as she approached. “I think we gave all the ponies a good show.” She came closer and leaned in to whisper to him. “What the hell was that, Shining?” she hissed in his ear. “I’ve seen you joust better than that in your sleep. What gives?” “I… I… I just can’t focus with all these ponies watching,” he stammered. “I’m an officer, not an entertainer.” “Suck it up, fluffy bunny,” she retorted under her breath. “Being a captain means being a lot of things, especially an entertainer. Ponies are going to look to you for everything, and you need to show them what they want to see, whether it’s what you really are or not.” She put a front leg around his shoulders and waved to the crowd. “Now make nice with the civilians and show them that you appreciate them watching you.” Shining sighed and waved to the crowd. “Did Blueblood put you up to this?” he asked through gritted teeth. “He told me Celestia’s orders for you, yeah. And since he’s too soft to make you carry them out himself, I’m going to do it. Now go mingle and sign autographs. Starting with the cadets.” Shining looked down to see Scootaloo, Rumble and Featherweight hopping excitedly around him. Sighing, he took the towel Scootaloo was offering him and mopped his neck and brow with it, then signed the notebook she was holding out. After half an hour of signing autographs and entertaining the crowd with stories and tricks, Shining found himself relaxing again. Just as he did at Sweet Apple Acres, he felt welcome and important but not pressured. If his nose and his chest would both have stopped hurting, he thought he might even have enjoyed himself. His reprieve came when a brightly decorated chariot appeared in the northern sky, drawn by four white pegasi from the National Guard. As the chariot passed overhead, Shining Armor barked out an order to the assembled pegasi. “Soldiers! Salute the Commander!” Throughout the crowd, pegasi raised their hooves to their brows in salute to Princess Celestia, ruler of Equestria and Commander of the Royal Guard, the ultimate seat of all civil and military power in the kingdom. Even in the dark of night, the Princess was clearly visible, lit by her glorious glowing mane. She looked down on her loyal soldiers and subjects and saluted them in return. The chariot carried her onwards, touching down in the vicinity of the town hall. Shining Armor watched the chariot settle in the town, and felt a weight disappear from his withers. With Celestia present, he could get some more solid answers about his mission, about Nightmare Moon and the Elements of Harmony. He made his farewells to the Wonderbolts and the crowd, and cantered off in the direction of the town hall. He was certain that he had made enough friends for one night, and his duty was waiting for him. A huge herd of well-wishers had gathered around the Ponyville town hall by the time Shining Armor arrived. For many Ponyville ponies, tonight would be the first time they had ever seen Princess Celestia in person, and everypony was eager for a chance to speak with her, even if they had nothing to say to her, save to pledge their loyalty and admiration. To Canterlot residents, Celestia’s presence was an everyday occurrence, and even those who didn’t work with her, as Shining did, would often see her out and about in the city, accompanied by her retinue of guards and entourage of bureaucrats. Here in the towns surrounding Canterlot, it was a different story. Princess Celestia appeared to be engaged in conversation with a vibrating pink blur when Shining Armor caught sight of her, flanked by her guards. Pinkie Pie was hopping up and down in front of Celestia, who was holding her head level and simply tracking the young mare’s movements with her eyes. “And if you could have been here earlier tonight, you could have come to the party I threw for Shining Armor! He didn’t come, though, but that’s okay, because I guess he was really sleepy after all the work he did! I wanted to hold it in the weather station, but Rainbow Dash said I shouldn’t break in because you’d put me on a list, and I like being on lists, but she said it wasn’t a fun list, so I didn’t. Anyway, here’s Shining Armor now, and it looks like he wants to talk to you, so I’d better go, bye!” Pinkie Pie bounced into the air, executed a surprisingly graceful backflip, landed behind Shining Armor, waved to him and pranced off out of the town square. Shining Armor watched her briefly, then shook his head and approached Celestia. Her guards parted to allow him passage, and the crowd stepped back when they saw his uniform. “Shining Armor, my faithful captain,” said Celestia in a regal, yet gentle tone. “It is good to see you again. I trust you are enjoying your visit to Ponyville?” “I am, your majesty,” replied Shining Armor, giving the princess a crisp salute. “May I speak to you in private? I have a lot to report.” Celestia nodded to her guards, and they began escorting her to the town hall. The crowd reluctantly moved back to let them pass, secure in the knowledge that they would be seeing her raise the sun soon. A few moments later, they were sequestered in a private meeting room, with Celestia’s retinue standing guard outside. “Now, captain,” said Celestia, favouring Shining Armor with an inquisitive glance. “What have you learned since coming to Ponyville?” Shining stood in a perfect posture of attention before Celestia as he gave his report. “I have uncovered indications that the threat of Nightmare Moon is real, commander,” he began, using Celestia’s military title for a military report. “There is a statue of Nightmare Moon in the Everfree Forest which is attracting creatures of the night to gather around it, which the locals say is not normal behaviour for them. Local sources also report heightened activity for other dangerous creatures in the forest, with the smaller animals going dormant to avoid attention from them. “The local garrison is… there is no garrison as such, but the weather team appear to fill that role adequately. Sergeant Rainbow Dash appears personally undisciplined and impulsive, but she runs a tight ship with her squad. She and her corporals are highly competent, and I am satisfied that they are able to defend Ponyville efficiently. Nevertheless, I recommend that a squad of four Canterlot Defence Guard be stationed in Ponyville on a semi-permanent basis, as the proximity of the Everfree Forest makes this location more vulnerable than it appears.” He finished his military assessment of Ponyville and waited for Celestia’s response. “What I meant to ask,” she said after a brief pause, “was what you had learned about making friends, as I instructed you to do.” Shining’s breath caught in his throat. “Making friends?” he managed to ask, almost coughing as he spoke. “But… Nightmare Moon… the forest…” Celestia gave him a disappointed look, but waited for him to continue. Shining took a deep breath. “Yes, I… I made some friends. I met the Mayor of Ponyville and a local businesspony and his family, and a large family who runs an apple farm just outside of town. And I think I got to know the weather team officers quite well. There’s that strange pink mare you met outside, and I suppose we got on alright, it’s just that…” Celestia raised an eyebrow and tilted her head slightly to one side. “Go on, captain,” she said, softly but imperiously. “It’s just that all the ponies in this town are crazy!” he finally blurted out. “I’m sure they mean well, but I spent the day being dragged around sightseeing and other… wastes of time! I briefed the weather team about Nightmare Moon, and they just wanted me to go to Pinkie Pie’s welcome party and play jousting games. And the Wonderbolts – you know I have nothing but respect for Captain Spitfire and her soldiers, but they seemed to care more about signing autographs than looking for signs of danger. Even the Apple family know that there’s something going on in the Everfree Forest, but they insisted I go to their dinner party instead of investigating further. Everypony can tell there’s a crisis looming, but they just go on wasting time with their parties and socializing and competitions and shows, and there’s no point to any of it!” Celestia blinked slowly. “Isn’t there?” she asked when Shining was done with his speech. “No! All that matters is making sure Equestria is safe. That has to be everypony’s top priority. You know what’s out there. Not just Nightmare Moon, but all of it. I read about how you and King Leo led the seapony armies against Squirk five centuries ago, and how it was the vigilance of the mermares that alerted you to their threat before it was too late. Crunch the Rock Dog would have laid waste to Canterlot without the hard work and preparation of the Defence Guard of the time. And now, more than ever, it’s the time for caution and discipline, not parties and jousting matches and making friends!” Shining Armor suddenly realised that he had raised his voice to his commander and princess, and quickly adjusted his hooves into a proper attention stance once more. “With all due respect, of course, commander,” he finished, looking straight ahead. Princess Celestia seemed to sag a little, and she suddenly looked older than the usual ageless façade she presented. “I understand, Shining Armor,” she said, reaching out to place a hoof against his shoulder. “You feel like you are responsible for the whole kingdom, and in a way, you are. You should know that I am putting my faith in you, just as I did when I made you captain. I know you have the strength and the compassion to do what you must do to save my kingdom and my little ponies. But you will not be able to do this alone. You have made friends here in Ponyville, whether you wanted to or not. Trust them. When the time comes, they will help you accomplish great things.” Shining sighed and slowly nodded. “I will remember that, commander, I promise.” Celestia patted his shoulder gently, then put her hoof back on the floor. “Is there anything else you wanted to talk to me about, captain?” “Well… I can see that you were expecting Nightmare Moon’s return for a long time now. Why haven’t you done more to prepare Equestria for it? Why didn’t you tell me sooner so I could prepare?” Celestia looked thoughtful, then smiled. “And what would you have done to prepare, captain?” Shining pondered the matter briefly, his keen tactical mind running through the most likely scenarios. “For a start, I would have had the Canterlot Defence Guard on high alert…” “Are they not already? They did seem terribly earnest in their patrols this morning.” “… and I’d make sure there were detachments of National Guard at all strategic points near major population centres…” “Wasn’t that the first thing you did when you took command of the guard?” “… and if I suspected that I knew where she would first appear, I would make sure the area was thoroughly secured.” “Such as with the Captain of the Royal Guard, the Wonderbolts, and my own presence with my personal retinue?” She chuckled softly at Shining’s awkward grin. “You have been preparing Equestria for such an event as this since you took this post, captain. Regardless of the form the threat takes, your actions are keeping us all safe. Equestria owes you a great debt.” She grew more sombre as she spoke. “And yet, your best efforts, and mine, may not be enough. We live in a dangerous world, and everypony knows somepony who has lost a parent, a partner or a child to war or monsters. If Nightmare Moon returns, ponies will die, just as they died in the first war. The Royal Guard can’t be everywhere at once, but I have faith in how you have trained them and deployed them. We will do the best that we can, and mourn the dead if we win.” Shining Armor swallowed nervously. “And if we lose?” Celestia shook her head. “We cannot lose. Do everything you can, Shining Armor. Be strong. Be brave. Trust your friends. The fate of Equestria is in your hooves, and I have faith in you.” She looked up at a high window in the meeting room. “It is time. Go and join your friends, while I prepare for my entrance. If we are very fortunate, the sun may yet rise.” Shining Armor stood in the midst of the crowd in the town hall, doing his best to remain calm. The hall was packed full of ponies, on the floor and in the boxes and mezzanines around the walls, and pegasi filled the airspace. The hall couldn’t possibly fit the entire town’s population, but it looked like it was making a good attempt. The hall’s decorations were truly a work of art, and as the moon and stars shone down through the hall’s huge windows, Shining appreciated how they looked even more magnificent than they had earlier. The colours had been chosen perfectly to suit the nocturnal light conditions, and Shining briefly wondered how Rarity and Diamond Tiara had managed that while working during the day. The decorations could only distract him briefly from his worries, though. The moon hung large in the night sky, occupying its usual position for just before sunrise, about thirty degrees above the horizon. The Mare in the Moon seemed to stare balefully at him, threatening not only his doom, but the doom of all of Equestria. Four bright stars surrounded the moon, and not for the first time, Shining wished that Twily were with him, to lend him her knowledge of astronomy. He didn’t remember seeing those stars the last time he looked at the moon, but he just couldn’t be sure. Despite his best efforts, Shining found himself standing next to Pinkie Pie yet again. “Isn’t this exciting?” she asked, grinning widely. “Are you excited? Because I’m excited… but you’re not excited, are you?” She furrowed her brow, leaning close to whisper in his ear. “You don’t look excited, you look worried. What’s going on?” “I’m not sure,” he said carefully. “Just… if anything goes wrong, do whatever I say, alright? Or whatever Spitfire or Rainbow Dash says. And don’t panic, no matter what.” “Okie-dokie-lokie,” she said quietly, seeming much more subdued than he had ever seen her. “Don’t worry, Ponyville ponies know how to handle a crisis. We don’t panic and shriek and run around like it’s the end of the world. Is it the end of the world?” He looked up at the moon again. Had the stars moved slightly closer to the moon while he wasn’t watching? On the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape. Shining Armor suddenly felt very small and insignificant. “Not if I can help it,” he said, trying to sound more confident than he felt. Pinkie nodded and wandered off, and Shining cast his eyes around the hall. In the air on his left, the weather team hovered, decked out in their armour. They looked relaxed, but Shining could see Rainbow Dash periodically looking at the door to the room where they had stashed their weapons. To his right, he saw the Wonderbolts in their flight suits, and while Spitfire’s confident demeanour was enough to fool most ponies, Shining Armor knew the tell-tale signs of her agitation. Celestia’s retinue stood on the floor near the stage, their spears held vertically in a ceremonial display. In one of the boxes flanking the central balcony, a large potted tree had been placed, and its branches were covered with Fluttershy’s bird choir. As Fluttershy rose into the air and counted them in, the chatter in the crowd ceased. The birds sang beautifully together, a stirring chorus evoking the beauty and majesty of the rising sun. Shining tried to forget that those same birds had attacked him the previous afternoon – after all, that was mostly his own fault. He allowed the music to calm his nerves, and he simply listened to their song until it reached its climax, and a spotlight revealed the mayor on the ground floor stage. “Fillies and gentlecolts!” she announced, looking out over the crowd. “As Mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration!” The crowd broke out into cheers, but Shining’s gaze was once more drawn to the moon and the stars surrounding it. Not only were the stars closer to the moon than they had been, but they were definitely moving, closing in on the moon at an alarming pace. “In just a few minutes, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise, and celebrate this, the longest day of the year!” As Shining watched, the stars passed across the disc of the moon, and disappeared with a bright flash. When the light faded, the moon was still in the sky, but it was now merely a blank disk, marked with just a few faint craters. That can only mean one thing, thought Shining Armor, and he acted. “And now, it is my great honour to introduce –” “INCOMING!” yelled Shining Armor. “Everypony down!” He pointed his horn at the moon and tapped his deepest reserves of magic. A blazing beam of rosy light streaked from his horn and spread into a powerful force field surrounding the entire city hall. Ponies around the hall were throwing themselves at the floor or under furniture. Thunderlane made a beeline for the weather team’s weapon cache, while Rainbow Dash manoeuvred her team into a defensive formation over the crowd. Raindrops had fallen to the floor and was twitching as if in shock. Less than a second after raising his shield, Shining Armor felt a massive force strike it, hard enough to drive him to his knees through sheer sympathetic shock. He gritted his teeth and kept his power flowing into it, and only dared to look up when he was steady again. A pony stood on the apex of his shield, with coat and wings as black as the night sky. Where her mane and tail should be, instead were clouds like nebulae, studded with bright stars. Her head bore a pale blue helmet and a long, spiralled horn, similar in length to Princess Celestia’s. She stamped her hoof on the shield and almost made him kneel again, forcing him to reinforce the shield with energy he knew would not last long. She opened her mouth, displaying wickedly pointed fangs, and spoke in a voice that could only belong to an immortal alicorn. “CELESTIA!” shouted Nightmare Moon, as storm clouds gathered behind her and crackled with lightning. “Come out and face me!”