//------------------------------// // 9 // Story: Tales of a Brighton Phoenix // by The Stainmore Phoenix //------------------------------// To say that Nightmare Moon's plans were slightly crazy would be a compliment. We were to train with the Royal Guard and work as private security to Celestia. It was a pain to do that as at any time, two of us had to be with Celestia, but we could not be seen by any of her guards or day court. Sounds like a bar scam to me, but whatever, it's their rules, not mine. I was to work with Skyla in the first shift, which starts at 4:30 am and ends at 8:30 am, which lets the next two take over at 8:45 am until 12:45pm. It went on like that, each of us covering four hour shifts. It only reset itself after one rotation. “Feels like the old times,” Skyla said. “Yeah,” I replied. We made our way to the castle under the cover of the 2 am moonlight. It was a tedious journey to say the least as we had to be flagged in by Shining Armor, and from there, were had to be briefed and we had to set up in positions where we could see her but she couldn't see us. Since I was a gentlecolt, I took up position outside while Skyla posted herself inside. However, something in the back of my head told me that something was going to go wrong and in the most uninventive way possible. That unineventive way came at 8.25 am, when we entered the day court room. Me and Skyla took position in the shadows and watched as Celestia was taking her seat in the high judge's chair to begin the rigorous dullness when she was approached. My neck muscles tensed as the pony approaching her carried a small leather bag on the end of a stick. “How the hell did he get a sap?” I muttered, getting ready to launch. On cue, said pony lunged and so did me and Skyla. I caught the weapon while Skyla tackled Little Mr. Offender to the ground. The thud was a signal for his confederates to come out. Me, Celestia and Skyla stared. Mothlings or Moth Attributed Changelings stood, glaring at us. The pony beneath Skyla's arresting hooves turned into a Mothling. Skyla kept a hold on her prisoner. “So, we have interference with our plans? No matter,” One said. “Take them.” Me and Skyla put up one hell of a fight. I was so used to dirty fighting, I used everything I could, even resorting to cold cocking some of the poor sods. Skyla, being more magically adept than me, used any and all appropriate spells to subdue them. 'If the calvary would damn well arrive in the nick of time, that would be a cliché I'd be glad happened,' I thought, knocking another Mothling out. As that was going on, I heard some noises, which didn't sound like the rest of the Nightmare Corps. “They've sent for backup,” I called to Skyla. “Let's get Princess Celestia out of here and on the double!” She nodded and we took up positions around the Princess and made our way out of the court room and towards the basement. Skyla quick marched while I stayed beside Celestia to make sure we weren't going to be taken by surprise and from behind. However that didn't stop them from capturing us. 'Well, this is dandy,' I thought. Many people thing being kidnapped, blindfolded and lead somewhere you don't know where it is sounds like fun, but it isn't at all fun. We were marched somewhere blindfolded and after half an hour of silence and waiting, we were taken somewhere else and after another twenty minutes, we had our blindfolds removed and saw everything upside down. “Glad to see your awake,” a voice said. Walking smartly into the room was a tall Mothling with a crown on the head. “So, no comment?” the Mothling said. 'Male, overly cocky, and prepared for nothing,' I noted. We watched as he circled around Celestia, who was glaring. “Your just like your little sister,” he said. “Always putting the ponies first. Such a shame, as she had a great mind and a tactical prowess.” My eyes locked on to him. I could hear Celestia clearly enough and wished I hadn't. “WHERE IS MY SISTER?!” “She's on the rock of lunatics and morons, where you shall join her, if she isn't dead,” he hummed in an almost psychotic giddiness that made me groan. “Got something to say, bat brain?” he asked. “Can I get fries with that?” I asked. That got the Mothling King. “What?” “Can I get fries with that?” I asked again. He couldn't figure it out. Deciding I wasn't worth a second thought, he walked away. Wiggling slightly, I moved one hoof left and slid it passed my other one and felt the tightness loosen. Making sure to keep silent, I slid my front hooves out and then dropped down. Not exactly sound construction and it made getting the other two loose a breeze and together, we slid into the darkness and made our way towards some stairs, which went down. “Stay close,” I whispered. “These stairs are blind and lead down, in a spiral, which is ambush haven should our captor realize we fled the nest. Do NOT light your horns, as that will attract and and all unwanted company.” I could hear them say they agree and we slipped down the stairs, trying to be as silent as possible when we heard noises. As we descended, it sounded like crying. I could feel my anger rising as the bottom came into view and there were rows of cells of little Mothlings, some looking rather ragged. “Sweet hell,” I muttered and headed over to the cell and looked at the lock. Looking around, I found some old prybars and even a couple of old tent spikes (the metal kind) and set to work breaking locks. “Sky, take them out. Celestia, stay close to me,” I ordered. “This is going to get messy.” On cue, he came charging down. I grabbed a shovel and swung. The satisfactory sound of connecting metal made me smile. “Bingo, Ringo,” I said and looked at him. “Now, you care to explain your actions with Luna?” I asked. “Or do I have to get nasty?” He looked up, and gave a strangled gasp. “What are you doing?” he hissed. “Those Mothings want PEACE!” “Oh, so you can't stand peace?” I asked. “Celestia, go with Skyla. This pillock's mine!” I returned and could feel the psycho coming on. “So, tell me, little man, have you ever felt like you never belonged in this world?” I asked, licking my lips so happily, it made him cringe. “What do you mean?” he squeaked. Bully. He cowered as I stood up to him. “Have you ever felt that you really don't belong anywhere in this world, as if you have no place here, at all?” I asked again. He looked up. “N..n...n...n...no,” he squeaked. “Shame,” I said. He looked up, I smiled and got close to his scared face. “I will take you to the nearest planet and leave you to populate it alone,”I said. “You can have all your little beliefs and affect no pony but yourself. You can be happy and live to all your abilities, while making life happy.” He said nothing. I picked him up and flew him to a planet that was habitable and then stopped off on the moon on the way back. Looking all over hell's half acre, I found a small Alicorn, with a crescent moon tattoo on it's flank. 'Bingo,' I thought and lifted said pony onto my back and slowly descended back to the ground. Upon touchdown, I was greeted by several ponies in the same Nightmare Armor. “Lance Corporal, where were you?” one of the ponies asked. “Taking out the trash and bringing back gold,” I said. “Gold in the form of Princess Luna, in a weakened state. We need to get her in barracks now. Should the Captain need someone to take the heat, I will be the pay master here, as this is my plan. Do you copy?” “Yes, Lance Corporal,” the pony said. Together, we made our way to the barracks at the castle, where I laid Princess Luna on my bed and pulled a blanket over her. “Rotational shifts,” I said. “I want Maelstrom to be on first watch. After an hour, get Battery Sergeant Major Skyla to assign the next guard. We'll do this until she is fit to go to Canterlot. As for telling Celestia, Do NOT tell her that we have found her sister. The last thing we need is an altercation that leads to who-knows-what.” “Yes, sir,” they said and saluted. I was out to the training fields, only to hear Nightmare Moon's voice. “Lance Corporal, in my office.” 'Okay, we have the shit, where's the fan?' I asked. I walked into her office and shut the door, then saluted her. “Yes, Captain?” “I heard you found Luna and gave orders to have the guard on one hour shifts to guard her until she's better and not to tell Celestia,” she said. “You want to explain yourself?” Her glare was enough to freeze a Timberwolf's heart. “I didn't want to leave her stranded,” I said. “Also, I didn't want to tell Celestia, because I didn't want to get her hopes up, only to have Luna die and break her heart and lead to all sorts of trouble. I really don't want to create unneeded trouble.” Nightmare Moon's glare turned to a “tender glare of murderous sympathy” and she pulled out some papers and filled them out. She then looked up at me and pushed the papers over to me and set a pen down next to them. “These papers are the files I keep saying that you are to take full responsibility of Luna's recovery and all the consequences of your decisions,” she said. I nodded and signed away. Once I finished, I saluted and went to see how the shifts were going and who was on shift right now. Standing by the bed was a dark forest green pony with moth attributes and a light meadow green mane. On her flank were eight trees with what appeared to be a blanket weave. “Name?” I asked. “Private Forest Weave,” she said. “What is her condition?” I asked. “She's opened her eyes and held a small conversation with Private Sunset Shimmer,” Forest Weave said. “She's even eaten a couple of Lily and Tomato sandwiches.” “Good,” I said. “That's a positive sign.” “It is indeed, Lance Corporal,” she said. “Return to your post,” I said. “I need to speak with the Battery Sergeant Major about our next move.” We saluted and I found my sister in her office, getting an earful from a gamboge pegasus in Royal Guard Armor. 'The Floodgates hath opened to reveal thy contents,' I thought and waited outside until she was ready. Once the pegasus departed, I went in and we planned out the next moves.