I yawned. Night was approaching slowly, as the sun dipped below the shimmering horizon. I grinned. Today was my first day of training to become a Night Guard of the Royal Palace. Luckily, Aunt Luna was providing cover for me. An Alicorn pony was technically forbidden from serving another Alicorn. So My Crippled horn would be hidden with her magic spell.
"Thank you so much Auntie! Thank you, thank you!" I had squealed, hugging her
She simply smiled, and hugged me with her giant wing right back.
"Good luck."
I clambered out of bed and screeched happily. Then I galloped downstairs and glanced at Mom, who was looking through a magazine of Changelings Weekly
"Good Night honey. Did you sleep well?" she asked, not looking away from her magazine
I nodded, grabbing a cereal bowl with my teeth (slightly puncturing the box), and pouring it into a stray bowl on the counter. I hummed a tune absent mindedly, as I devoured the Wheat-Flakes. I ran back upstairs for my armor. Its black opal, and topaz gems glittered in the moonlight shining from my window. I smiled, and pulled it over my head, trying to fit vainly.
I let out a sigh of relief when it finally was on, I had to use a bit of magic to help though. I trotted downstairs again and glanced at Mom. She was beaming at me, her magazine left on the table. I nuzzled her,
"Mom," I began, she looked at me hopefully "W-wish me luck ok?"
I sort of stepped away and she tried to smile. She hugged me and replied,
"Sure thing sweetheart."
I nodded, and opened the door. The moon was near the castle by now. I flew outside, heading straight for Aunt Luna's Chambers near the top of the castle. No pony was there, I made a fly for it.
Wait a minute. I saw a shadowy figure on the quartz walls of the west side of the castle. Near the Chambers! I flew as fast as I could. Uh oh. Too fast! I rocketed toward the open window, my hooves flailing wildly. I screamed, my horn glowing a bit. I shut my eyes, their slits thinning. For a moment, I didn't feel the ground. I opened my eyes. Safe!
"What an interesting entrance, Axis." a soft voice remarked,
I stood to attention, putting my hoof to my forehead in a salute to Princess Luna.
"Hi Auntie." I replied, relaxing
Aunt Luna rested her wing on my shoulder. She grinned and asked with interest,
"First day on the Night Squad I suppose?"
I nodded, replying,
"Yup, I cause to see if you liked my armor. And uh, the horn thing..." I added
She nodded back in understanding. Her dark horn glowed blue and I put my hoof to my head.
No horn. I gasped and exclaimed,
"Auntie your a genius!"
She chuckled and said,
"You'd better get to work, Axis. Or General Nightly will be furious."
There was a knock on the door. I whipped around, put on my helmet, and stood up straight.
A bat-pony stallion came trotting in, his head held high, and his armor was covered in a jubilee of
metals. I gasped.
"Is this mare bothering you, your highness?" he asked, with a voice that crawled under your skin
Aunt Luna shook her head coolly and replied,
"No General, I was simply having a chat with my niece."
The stallion's eyes widened, glancing at me with worry, and maybe even hatred?
I shuffled and said quietly,
"I'm the new guard on the Night Squad..."
General Nightly snorted at me, and looked at Luna with a fake and butt-kissing smile,
"I shall get her to work as quick as possible."
I flattened my ears and followed him out of the room. A few other bat ponies stepped into line with us.
A bat-pony mare was walking next to me. I glanced at her purple mane and her blue eyes. They were so pretty. I was green with envy...
"Hi... I'm Shrieks Spear." she whispered, glancing warily at General Nightly
"I'm Axis." I replied quietly
A low hum of whispering and hissing was enveloping the class, no pony dared spoke too loud.
I doubted I wanted to find out why.
"What is his problem?" Shriek asked, scowling at General Nightly
I shrugged, and stared ahead. I felt my eye slits close slightly once we entered a bright room.
Others hissed or narrowed their eyes. None of my class mates were used to the bright light.
All the more reason I still shouldn't get comfortable. Perfect teeth, hooves weren't misshaped.
"Listen up Dung Beetles! This place ain't runnin' on smiles and high-hooves!" screeched Nightly
I frowned and looked at the other bat-ponies, who were sitting down. Almost as if ready for a
grand speech. Sitting next to Shriek Spear, I groaned, looking at the stuck-up stallion.
This will be a long night...