Midnight sighed as she pulled off the rest of her gala dress. She was glad to finally be out if it but even gladder to be done with the party and away from those damned nobles. Through the open door to her suite she could see Sapphire and Windrunner exiting their own rooms and heading for the kitchenette. Her gaze lingered on the blue pegasus until a series of chirps brought her attention back to the bed. Arina chirped again, two of her four eyes raised. "Don't start this again, Arina; I'm not in the mood." The spider chirped questioningly, stopped at her owner's look, then sighed and scuttled off the bed and out of the room. The kirin watched her go, then sighed again and finished putting the discarded dress away.
She'd had to wear the thing because she, Sapphire, and Squeaks had been invited to go along with Summer, Orange, and Autumn up to Canterlot to attend a garden party held by Summer's boss, Fancy Pants, who was apparently interested in meeting Summer's family as well as hearing how the Ponyville branch was doing. She would have used the first of her new royal checks, given to her by the princesses for her birthday, for new dresses for herself, Sapphire, and Squeaks, except that Rarity was already in Canterlot for supplies for the boutique. So, they'd pulled out their gala dresses, minus a few things like the shoes and hair pieces, and Summer had gotten something for Squeaks, just as she'd gotten dresses for herself, Autumn, and a suit for Orange. Almost as soon as they'd gotten that squared away, a note had come via dragon fire from Celestia saying that she was calling together another meeting of the captains. While the note said nothing of urgency both Midnight and Sapphire had gotten nervous; the princess had said she wanted to keep these meetings to once a year and they'd already had one in the spring.
This time, however, there'd be one less thing to worry about. Windrunner would be staying behind to keep an eye on things and stop anything dangerous from happening to the bearers while they celebrated Twilight's birthday. Arina would be there, too, acting as Midnight's eyes just in case. Literally.
Before departing for Canterlot at the end of the Nightmare Night Celebration, Luna had pulled Midnight and her new pet aside and showed them that when she'd changed Arina's eye color, she had also sneaked in a spell that allowed Midnight to see whatever Arina saw and vice versa as long as they concentrated on each other. It was obvious just how useful such a spell could be and they'd practiced with it a lot afterwards, sending Arina out into town or leaving the spider at home while Midnight went out to work in the forest until it's use had become second nature to both.
By Friday morning everything was ready, including the lie Midnight and Sapphire were going to feed Summer and Orange about staying up at the castle; Princess Luna wanted a chance to speak with her privately about how the thestrals were fairing Ponyville. Then had come the news that Rarity couldn't make it back to Ponyville that day. Apparently her cat was sick and it would just mean one less pony Windrunner would have to look out for, except that Twilight had come by to tell them that she'd decided to move her birthday party to Canterlot instead so she could include Rarity in the festivities (and save her folks a few bits in train tickets). That hadn't really been a problem and was even welcomed by Midnight and Summer as it provided an escape for Squeaks and Autumn when they finally got bored of all the stuffy adults talking about stuffy things in stuffy voices. Midnight had also told Windrunner to bring Honeysuckle along so she wouldn't be alone in the house. That mare needed to get out and make some friends of her own.
When they'd all arrived at Canterlot Castle, Midnight's opinion of the garden party was that it was just a smaller, more concentrated version of the Grand Galloping Gala, with noble and wealthy ponies talking about how noble and wealthy they were. That is, all except Fancy Pants. When Summer had introduced them, Midnight was sure he'd say some kind of back-hoofed comment about her appearance. Instead, he'd seemed genuinely curious about her, her origins, and her life in general. He even politely snubbed a few of the other guests to hear about how she'd adopted Squeaks and reunited with her mother. Overall, Midnight had found the stallion a very pleasant alternative to the rest of the high society ponies and he even got Squeaks and Autumn to come out from under herself and Summer; they'd been hiding from the reproachful looks the other guests had been giving their group.
Then Rarity had appeared. It quickly became obvious that Fancy Pants and several others knew her from her time spent in Canterlot but once introductions were over the unicorn had disappeared almost as quickly as she arrived. With Fancy Pants now occupied with entertaining his other guests and said guests no longer shooting the kirin disapproving looks, Midnight, Sapphire, and the two fillies had moved off to the side to pony watch. That was when she'd noticed Rarity popping in and out of the great hall, where they could see Twilight's birthday being held. She'd sent the girls after Rarity when the mare had once again headed into the hall, this time with a crochet mallet lodged in her mouth.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Sapphire had said as the girls bounded off.
"We're not in Ponyville, so I'll take my chances," Midnight told her. "Besides, they learned at the Grand Galloping Gala, so why would they possibly want to come out here?"
Apparently the lesson of the gala hadn't sunk in yet, as they had come out in a conga line with Pinkie blasting away with her party cannon, followed by a confused and worried Windrunner and Honeysuckle. Squeaks had also given several ponies a good fright when she came back over to Midnight and Sapphire with Arina riding atop her head, much to their amusement. The filly had taken to the family pet like a duck to water, and if the spider wasn't near Midnight, she was probably with Squeaks.
Things hadn't dissolved as they had done with the gala, however, and this was thanks to Fancy Pants. The stallion was quick and noted that as a group he recognized them as the ponies who stopped Discord and were heroes of Equestria. To top it off he noted the plain dress Rarity had made for Twilight was "absolutely exquisite" and that he'd like to talk with her later about placing some orders. Summer had pitched in, saying she could keep a direct line between Fancy and Rarity if he wanted. For her part, Midnight had been a bit disappointed things hadn't ended in bedlam, but a stern look from Sapphire was all that was needed to keep the amount of dresses on fire down to zero.
So, while Summer and Orange had stayed behind at the garden party, everypony else had retreated into the grand hall to finish Twilight's birthday, which lasted late into the night. At some point they'd been joined by both princesses, Captain Armor, Twilight's parents, and, to Midnight's surprise, another alicorn, one with a pink coat and tri-colored mane and tail. Princess Celestia introduced her to Midnight as Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, or just Princess Cadance for short, who was her and Luna's niece by adoption. Cadance knew Twilight from when she'd done some community service as a teen, volunteering for the Big Brothers and Sisters program, one which paired a volunteer with a young filly or colt as a foal sitter/mentor/tutor. In fact, it was her recommendation that helped get Twilight get into the entrance exam for Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. She still had a weak spot for foals apparently, as she doted over Squeaks and Autumn when they were introduced.
Before long said foals started to show signs of using their dresses as blankets, and Midnight and Summer began to say their goodnights and goodbyes. Celestia surprised them by extending the invitation she'd given to Midnight, Sapphire, and Squeaks to spend the weekend to Summer, Orange, Autumn, Windrunner, and Honeysuckle. They'd all been pleasantly shocked, and at Autumn's and Squeaks' pleadings, Summer had agreed. As all the bearers would be spending the weekend in the city with Twilight, Windrunner staying in Canterlot as well wasn't a problem.
The suites they'd been lead to had three bedrooms each with their own bathrooms, as well as a common area and kitchenette. As it stood, Midnight, Sapphire, and Windrunner where in one suite while Summer, Orange, Squeaks, Autumn, and Honeysuckle were in the other (Squeaks and Autumn were bunking together). A nice arrangement, as those who knew about the bearer guard would be able to talk freely about it without worry of being overheard.
With the dress put away, Midnight flopped onto the bed, barely getting under the blanket and sheets as she settled herself. Tomorrow they'd find out why this meeting had been called, but for now her mind was preoccupied with the brief talk she and Arina had. She grunted again before drifting off.
-----------------------------
"So, I hear things were a bit hectic this morning before breakfast," Princess Celestia said, taking another bite of her breakfast wrap.
Summer shot Midnight a glare across the table before smiling back at the princess. "Just a few small hiccups, your highness."
Midnight rolled her eyes at Sapphire, who made sure to hide her smile from Summer. The unicorn had felt that they all needed to look formal for breakfast with the princesses, so she'd gotten them all up early to get ready.
Well, almost all of them.
Midnight flat-out refused to get up, even after Summer had pulled off everything off the bed, exposing the kirin to the cool morning air. Midnight had simply curled up and used her wings as a blanket. She finally eased up after Sapphire explained that, really, the same routine they had at home would be fine, but Summer still had expectations. "You're not going to look like a rag-a-muffin in front of the princesses!" She called into Midnight's room when she'd finished getting Autumn ready.
"How come you aren't bothering Sapphire, Windrunner, or Honeysuckle?" Midnight had shot back.
"Because they understand the importance of proper grooming!"
In the end it had been Sapphire who finally got Midnight out of bed. "Come on, is it really such a big deal to just look a little proper for your mom's sake?" she asked gently. "A bit of brushing isn't going to kill you... and don't you think it might make a bad example to follow if Squeaks and Autumn see you acting like this?"
Midnight was about to reply, then stopped. Reflecting on how they'd acted since reuniting, it did seem like they'd just picked up where they'd left off after a long break. Midnight the rebellious teen and Summer the exasperated mother. And it was a bad example to set for the girls, even as well behaved as they both were. At some point, the two of them were going to have to sit down and have a serious discussion on how they interacted with each other. Now, however, it probably would do to simply indulge her mother; not everypony knew the princesses like she did, after all.
So, in the end, she'd gotten up and gotten ready mostly to Summer's standards. Maybe it was still the teen in her, but damned if she was going to bow down all the way to the floor.
Summer had also forbidden Arina from coming as well, and the spider would have likely tried to hide in Summer's mane or tail for revenge had Midnight not promised her some tropical juice from the palace kitchens as a replacement for the sugar the kirin usually mixed in to the spider's meals, which consisted of a mix of water, sugar, and blood from the animals Midnight hunted. As long as she didn't spin webs or leave cocooned bugs all over the house, Midnight didn't really care what she ate.
"Well, it's certainly nice to finally meet Midnight's mother after all this time," Celestia continued, taking a sip from her tea cup. "I would like to discuss a few things with you, if it's not too inconvenient. Say, around mid-afternoon. Some petitioners trickle away around that time."
"Of course, your highness, it would be a pleasure," Summer assured her, bowing.
Midnight raised an eyebrow at Celestia, but the alicorn simply took another sip of tea. Feeling her stomach growl, the kirin returned to her own food; scrambled eggs with bits of gems, meat, and drowning in some kind of breakfast sauce. As she chewed, she gazed around at the rest of those sitting at the table. Princess Celestia sat at the head, as one would expect, while Princess Cadance sat on her left. Down the same side was herself, Squeaks, Sapphire, Windrunner, and a mare Solar Guard in formal wear. On Celestia's right were Captain Armor, Summer, Autumn, Orange, Honeysuckle, and one other Solar Guard, an older stallion, also in formal wear. Luna and her guard weren't at breakfast; something about a long, hard night of work and being too tired to attend. Celestia assured them that with a good day's sleep, her sister would be ready to see them in good spirits.
After a few bites she noticed Squeaks shooting looks past her to Princess Cadance. "What's up Squeaks?" Midnight asked, leaning down to whisper. Sapphire also bent an ear to the conversation, but more discreetly.
"I'm trying to figure out how to ask her nicely why we've never seen her before," Squeaks whispered back. That was actually a good question. Somehow during the previous evening's introductions, that particular bit of information never came up.
"Let me give it a shot," Midnight offered. Sitting back up, she turned to the pink alicorn next to her. "Excuse me, Princess Cadance?"
"Yes?" she asked, lowering her fork.
"I'm sorry but I'm just a little curious about how come we haven't seen you around the palace the previous times we've been here." Out of the corner of her eye she could see Shining shoot her a look. He probably took the question to mean "so, where the Tartarus has your pink, anonymous flank been?".
Cadance smiled. "That's alright. I've actually been out touring the neighboring countries, keeping Equestria's relationships with them as strong as possible."
"Cadance is a great ambassador," Celestia said. "No matter the situation, she's always had the ability to bring ponies, and others, together, at the very least to be reasonable."
"So is that what your cutie mark means? That you're good at bringing folks together?" Squeaks asked.
"Actually, my cutie mark means that I have a very good understanding of love and how it works," she explained.
Squeaks' ears perked up. "Oh, just like Honeysuckle! Her special talent is seeing the love connections between ponies!"
Further down, the unicorn in question looked up at the mention of her name. "A-Actually, my talent is seeing the relationships between ponies with something like a magical representation of the red string of fate. I'm sure it's not the same thing your cutie mark means, your highness."
Cadance smiled down towards her. "That sounds like a great special talent. I'd love to see how that works sometime. Maybe later today?"
"We'll have to see, your highness," Shining Armor interrupted. "There are still several things to go over for your next tour."
"Unfortunately there are a few more countries Cadance must work her diplomatic skills on," Celestia supplied for the rest of them. "Countries that aren't as friendly with Equestria as we'd like. Because of that, Captain Shining Armor will be leading her protective guard. In his absence, both First Lieutenant Holly and former Captain Broom will be taking over the Solar Guard until Captain Shining's return."
Turning her attention back to the two new ponies, Midnight examined them more closely. Holly was a unicorn mare with a grey coat with a black patch on her muzzle, emerald green mane, and berry-red eyes. She looked around and nodded at them with the typical military indifference. The Ex-Captain Broom, on the other hoof, was smiling good-naturedly at them all. His coat was a graying brown, his mane grey-white, and his eyes a light mint. "Reminds me of the time my squad and I escorted Princess Celestia out into the minotaur lands; bunch of dreadful brutes who'd just as soon hit you with a hammer as look at you," Broom said with the air of a pony about to go into a long story, mindlessly stroking his goatee with a wing.
"Perhaps another time, Captain," Lieutenant Holly interrupted. "For now I'd like to speak with Miss Storm after breakfast. That defense she put up against Discord might be useful in other situations and I'd like to hear the particulars."
Celestia nodded. "Of course." She turned towards Summer. "And while they're discussing that, perhaps you'd like to see a few of the sights the city has to offer? The view of the valley between here and Ponyville is quite a sight from several of the terraces."
-----------------------------
"This is it?" Midnight asked, looking down at the small pile on the table before her.
"That it is, lass," the royal blacksmith said proudly. "Eh may not look like much now, but put 'em on an' yee see jus' how much work wen' inta 'em."
Midnight looked back down at the small pile, then shrugged and began putting the various items on. All in all, her 'armor', which took months to make, consisted of a horn ring, a thin chest plate similar to what the princesses wore, four hoof shoes, and a ring that fit snuggly around the base of her tail. The whole thing felt rather silly. "Yes, I can see just how effective this would all be in battle," she said flatly. Nearby, Sapphire, Windrunner, Shining, Cadance, Holly, and Broom looked just as skeptical as she was. Despite needing to go over the details of her trips, the princess had insisted on seeing Midnight and Windrunner demonstrate their defense for Lieutenant Holly and Captain Broom.
"Ah, lass, don't be thinkin' Ah've lost me touch jus' yet," the blacksmith said. "Yee have tee concentrate on yur armor; feel like yee need it."
Midnight raised an eyebrow at him, but indulged him and closed her eyes. As she concentrated, Arina decided to inspect the 'armor' for herself, climbing up Midnight's leg and gently poking the chest piece. Midnight took a sharp intake of breath, and without further warning, the armor expanded over her in interconnecting plates. The ring over her horn became a helmet, forming over the bridge of her nose and down the back of her head, leaving openings for her eyes, ears, and mouth in a similar, but more utilitarian version of the helmet Nightmare Moon wore. Another difference was that, instead of leaving her horn exposed, the armor covered it as well, creating a sharp, four-bladed arrow head over it. The chest piece went up her neck and along her barrel, and Arina barely jumped off the kirin before the armor caught her. Part of the armor went out along the leading edge of her wings, ending at her wing claws and capping them with blade-like armor. The hoof shoes shot up her legs, and the two front ones popped out a set of blades. The tail ring similarly shot down her tail, capping her tail blade the same way it had capped her wing claws. Once it was done, Midnight looked down at herself. "This is... interesting."
The blacksmith nodded. "Aye. The princesses felt that a traditional set o' armor wouldn' a done yee much good, bein' undercover and all that. So, they enchanted certain bits o' the armor so that it looked more like jewelry. Yee can even jus' put one piece on an' activate it by i'self. Since yee don't be doing a lot o' fightin' with traditional weapons, I gave yee a set o' them fightin' claws the Lunar Guard use from time ta time. Not ta mention focusin' on yur natural weapons and puttin' that horn ta good use as well. About the only things I couldn't do anthin' about are yur fangs and fire."
Midnight nodded as she examined herself closer in a nearby mirror. In her opinion she looked like some goddess of war with the whole thing on. Arina crawled back onto her and settled onto the head, careful of the now very pointy horn. Examining her owner in the mirror as well, she let out a long chirp. "Damn is right," Midnight agreed, picking up a front hoof and examining the blades on either side of it. They flicked forwards, nearly poking her muzzle.
"You certainly look fierce enough."
Looking away from her reflection, Midnight found Sapphire standing next to her, also looking the armor over. Standing next to the fully armored kirin, the pegasus looked smaller and even a bit fragile in the reflection. Midnight had a sudden urge to bend down and nuzzle her reassuringly, but shook it off. As if in response, the armor 'folded' back up again.
"So, Ah take it yee like it then?" the blacksmith asked.
"Yeah," Midnight told him, a bit absently, then she stood straighter. "Yes, I'm sure this will do nicely." She chuckled. "I almost wish I had this thing back when the owlursus attacked. Have the princesses said anything about Lieutenant Windrunner getting any similar armor?"
The blacksmith nodded. "Aye, an' similarly one suited fur her special talents. If yee could stand over here, lass, I can get yur measurements," he told Windrunner, motioning to a spot next to his work table.
As the pegasus moved to get fitted, Midnight and Sapphire moved away from the mirror and back to the group. "So, Armor, I'm surprised you didn't convince Celestia to cart me out with Cadance and leave you behind to watch over your sister," Midnight snarked.
"Yeah, well, I'm sure you would have caused an international incident," Shining shot back.
"Captains, if we could," Lieutenant Holly spoke up, "perhaps we could move on to the training grounds? Captain Broom and I would like to get to know our counterpart and I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to hear about how Captain Storm helped defeat Discord."
"Oh, well, that's easy; marshmallows and a flamethrower," Midnight said with a grin.
"Well, if guarding is so easy, perhaps you can give us all a demonstration up on the training field," Shining said back.
As they made their way out of the armory, Sapphire and Cadance shared a glance and rolled their eyes.
-----------------------------
"Your grandmother really likes to shop, doesn't she?" Honeysuckle asked Squeaks as they rested on a bench outside a shop in Canterlot's shopping district. The older unicorn had been leading them up and down the streets, stopping to look in this store, wondering if something was worth the price in another, and generally making a repeat of their time in Baltimare, minus going on about making memories. She'd finally given them all a break when she decided to try on some outfits in a boutique so she'd have some formal wear for around the castle. Orange and Autumn stayed inside while Squeaks and Honeysuckle stayed outside with everypony's drinks and snacks.
Squeaks shrugged and took a break from her (non alcoholic) pina colada smoothie. "I think this is how she likes to spend time with us but I'd rather be back at the castle with mom and Sapphire and Windrunner."
"But isn't it boring just listening to adults talk?" Honeysuckle asked, raising an eyebrow.
Squeaks shrugged. "I don't mind. Besides, they always talk about interesting things when we're up at the castle."
"Such as?"
"Well..." Squeaks caught herself. She'd completely forgotten that Honeysuckle didn't know her mother was the captain of a secret guard. "Uh... secret stuff?"
Honeysuckle raised an eyebrow. "What kind of secret stuff?"
"Secret... kirin stuff?" Squeaks tried.
The eyebrow stayed up, but the unicorn decided to give the filly a break. Apparently she'd heard something she wasn't suppose to and nearly let it slip.
"Well, since you like listening to grownups talk, then can I talk with you for a minute?" The filly nodded as her mouth re-glued itself to the straw of her drink. "Well, in the future, I'd really appreciate it if you didn't point me out like you did this morning at breakfast; it makes me uncomfortable."
Squeaks' ears drooped. "I'm sorry, but you and Princess Cadance sort of have the same cutie mark, so I figured you could try being friends with her since mom says you need to make some besides her and Sapphire."
Honeysuckle both smiled and winced. "Well, who says I need to have more friends than that?"
The bat filly thought about that for a minute. "Nopony, I guess, but you almost never leave the house and even with mom and Sapphire you still seem sad. Why are you sad so much?" Squeaks asked, genuinely curious.
"Well..." Honey started, then stopped, took a sip of her strawberry-banana milkshake, and wondered if she should tell the young thestral the truth. Not the whole truth, but the gist of it. "I was kicked out of the only home I had by my aunt. She... she blamed me for something really bad happening."
"Why didn't your mom or dad stop her?" Squeaks asked.
"I never knew my father and my mother... my mother wasn't around anymore. I guess after that I never really felt like I belonged anywhere."
Silence fell between them.
"Well, then you definitely belong in Ponyville," Squeaks finally said. When Honeysuckle looked over at her, she continued. "Mom says that Ponyville is the only place in Equestria that accepts you for who you are no matter what, so if you don't feel like you belong anywhere else, you belong in Ponyville."
Honey smiled at that. Such a simple view of things, yet it made her feel a bit better inside.
"And I think you'd be happier if you made a few more friends that don't live in the house," Squeaks continued. "I heard that one way ponies become friends is because they like the same things. Maybe if you found somepony in Ponyville who likes the same things you do, then you could spend time with them doing those things. I like playing Pillow Knights with Pinchy, Dinky and Twist, mom and Sapphire like playing poker with their moms, and Windrunner likes racing with Rainbow Dash. Somepony in Ponyville hast to like something you do."
Honeysuckle continued to smile and playfully rubbed the filly's mane. "You're a smart little filly, aren't you?"
Squeaks laughed and squirmed out of her reach. "Miss Cheerilee says I'm doing really good in school."
They both laughed.
"Well, in that case, could you explain something else to me?" Honeysuckle asked. Squeaks stared up at her expectantly. "Could you tell me why you weren't scared of me when I came to live with you? Midnight warned me that you didn't like strangers but you never seemed to have a problem with me."
Squeaks turned back to her drink and thought for another minute. "I guess... because you never seemed scary. Mom and Sapphire took care of me, so I wasn't ever afraid of them, but... I guess because you seemed so sad and kinda scared about being with us that I just couldn't be scared of you." She smiled up at the unicorn. "And since I wasn't scared of you, I wanted to be your friend, and now we are!"
Honeysuckle smiled back down at her. Using her magic, she pulled the filly in for a hug, using the gesture to hide the bit of wetness in her eyes. "Thank you Squeaks. If you think it's a good idea, then maybe I will try and make some more friends."
"If you're still shy around other ponies, maybe you could try being friends with Fluttershy; she's really shy around others, too, so maybe you can help each other," Squeaks suggested.
"I think that's a great place to start," Honeysuckle agreed.
As they parted, Summer, Orange, and Autumn came out of the boutique. "Alright you two, on to our next stop!"
-----------------------------
"This is idiotic," Midnight grumbled. Her patience pretty much gone, she swung her front right leg, new hoof-blades extended, and smashed the spear the Solar Guard was wielding in half. She then spun around and smashed him with the flat of her tail blade, sending him flying across the field. Behind her, Windrunner hit another guard that had slipped by the kirin, trying to damage one of those under their 'protection'. Which, for Midnight, was the source of her annoyance. "You do realize that the bearers won't just be sitting around in a fight, right!?" Her words were directed at Shining Armor, sitting on the sidelines and directing his troops along with Cadance, Holly, Broom, and Sapphire.
"Last time I checked, that's exactly what they did when you fought Discord," he called back.
Oh yes, she was going to give him a proper military mane cut before he left. One that used fire instead of scissors. On the other hoof, he did have a point, even if she hated to admit it. She also had to admit that he'd done a good job training his soldiers; not one had flinched away or showed any fear of her as they charged in, determined to hit one of the practice dummies the only two members of the Bearer Guard were guarding. So far, the defense Midnight and Windrunner had mounted had been successful despite some close calls. Midnight, in her new armor, took the attackers head on, breaking them up and forcing them back. Windrunner was acting as backup and intercepting any 'enemies' that got past the kirin. She'd also intercepted a few flanking maneuvers, holding them at bay long enough for Midnight to come around and force them back as well.
Now though, Shining had sent in a three prong attack and the only thing keeping the third group from claiming victory was the dust cloud ring Windrunner had kicked up when she had spotted the second and third group charging in. The pegasus was engaged with the second group, which had a couple of pegasi in it this time who were trying to break up the dust cloud for their comrades. With the first group pushed back, Midnight jumped up and hovered over the dummies, trying to see through the dust and pick out the third group. A yellow magic aura enveloped one of the dummies and she saw the faint glow of the offending unicorn horn through the cloud of dirt. She dove down, ramming into him and knocking him back out of the dust devil.
When she got up in the air again, she saw two more guards breaking out of the dust and wind. They were too close and she'd never get both before they were on the dummies, but damned if she wasn't going to try. She dove again, angling for the one closest to the targets. Right before she hit the first guard, she snapped her right wing forwards, throwing the concealed Arina at the second guard. The spider hit him square in the side of the head. Now, the spider certainly didn't have enough mass, even after being thrown, to knock the guard over, but nopony can simply ignore one big enough to hug their face latching onto the side of their head. Give the guy credit; he only screamed like a filly once. Throwing the first guard back through the dust cloud, Midnight sprinted over to the second guard, paused for just a second for Arina to jump back over to her, then bucked the guard in the general direction of his partner.
She'd barely caught her breath when yet another guard barreled past her, his spear held aloft by his magic. Midnight twisted after him, diving on top of him and pushing him to the ground. As he fell, he used his magic to shoot the spear, and as they hit the ground, the weapon impaled one of the dummies in the barrel, a clean kill shot.
"A bearer is down! The fight is over!" Broom called from overhead, his voice magically amplified to carry over the battle. Immediately, the sound of fighting from the other side of the dummy pile stopped, followed by the sound of strong wing beats, and the dust cloud began to dissipate. Midnight got up, then pulled the other guard to his hooves.
"Good throw," Midnight grunted. She meant it, too; this was as much an exercise for them as it was for herself and Windrunner and, judging by how tired she felt, she was sure that they'd lasted just as long against the Solar Guard as they had against Discord's s'mores army. If they'd had Spike and a wall of burning marshmallow soldiers as well, she was sure they could have lasted longer. She didn't even mind the dents and scrapes on her new armor; the damn thing was meant to be used after all.
The guard nodded at her, then rejoined his squad mates.
As her armor re-sheathed itself, Windrunner flew over with two large mugs of cold water. The kirin gratefully took hers and downed it. "How long did we last?" she asked when she was done.
"About a half hour," Windrunner said, taking a more controlled but no less eager drink of her own. "I don't remember how long we faced Discord for."
"Neither do I, but it sure felt like that long at least," Midnight said with a sigh. She didn't really think the Elements took that long to reconnect with the bearers, nor that the draconequus had been that patient to see their end, but a half hour sounded right.
Her counterparts for the Solar Guard came over as Windrunner, this time joined by Arina, took off for more water. Princess Cadance and Sapphire were with them as well. "Impressive," Shining said. "I didn't think you two would last so long."
"What, you thought Spike was the whole reason we lasted so long against Discord?" Midnight retorted.
"What I believe Captain Armor means," Lieutenant Holly said, interrupting, "is that given the odds against just the two of you, you lasted far longer than expected."
"Indeed, good show!" Captain Broom agreed.
Midnight nodded in thanks. "Truth be told, I was holding back. There were plenty of opportunities to blast them with fire, use my tail blade, or just become a wyvern; didn't want to do anything permanent since this was just training."
"And we thank you for considering that," Holly told her. "We all know this would have been a lot messier if this was a real skirmish."
"Now that training is over," Shining said as Windrunner and Arina returned with more water, "I insist that we work on your tour, Princess Cadance. A day and a half is pushing it to make sure everything is in order."
"Agreed, Captain Armor," the alicorn said, then nodded at the kirin. "After seeing Captain Storm and Lieutenant Windrunner in action, I have to agree with my aunts that the Element Bearers are in good hooves."
"I understand it's a source of contention between you and Captain Armor," Holly said as the two left the training field, "and that the princesses have sided with you on this, but I have to agree with the captain and point out that it would be much better if you had more ponies in your guard."
"I agree as well," Broom said. "Two ponies does not a guard make, as it were."
Midnight sighed but didn't snap back. These two genuinely wanted to help. "We're currently 'training' a hippogriff whose showing some promise. As I've told Captain Armor, I'm in a sort of catch 22 situation where I agree I need more guards but I want experienced ones and the only experienced ones are all ones Twilight has a good chance of recognizing, which blows our cover."
Holly tapped her lip with a hoof as she thought for a minute, letting the kirin finish her second drink of water. "With your permission captain, I could go through the postings to see if any guards, here or in other locations, meet your criteria. It might take some time, but finding even just one would make the Bearer Guard more well off."
"I'm surprised Captain Armor didn't think of that," Midnight said with a raised eyebrow.
"With respect to Captain Armor, I believe he had his own choices in mind."
"The boy can't help it," Captain Broom said with a shrug. "One of the best cadets I've seen in my entire career but if you didn't go through the same training he doesn't think you can cut it. In fact, there was this one time where him and this police officer..."
-----------------------------
"You shouldn't have, mom," Midnight grumbled in annoyance, picking at the silver choker around her neck. The thing was something Summer had bought while out in the city for Midnight to wear that night to dinner. Summer had been just as insistent, if not even more so, about getting dressed up for this meal as she had for breakfast. In an attempt to form a middle ground of some kind, Midnight hadn't put up a fuss about getting dressed up and even allowed Summer to dab a bit of makeup on her. It wasn't like she hated being dolled up every now and again; she just felt like there was a time and place for it. Grand Galloping Gala? Sure. A garden party with her mom's boss. Of course. Dinner with the princesses? Eh, for some, but not her. The choker was pushing things just a little too far.
"I know, but it just looks so good on you!" Summer told her with a smile. The unicorn was sporting a new dress that, while not as done up and expensive as one would wear to an event such as the Grand Galloping Gala, was still a bit overkill for a simple dinner. All the mares, sans Midnight, and the two fillies were wearing something like it, all courteously of Summer, and Orange was in the same suit as the one her wore to the garden party except with a new cravat.
Arina was, once again, bared from the meal, much to the spider's annoyance. When Summer had once again put her hoof down on letting a pet eat at the table, she'd given her the scariest look Midnight had ever seen the spider give, then scuttled away into Midnight's room. The kirin was sure the spider was planning retribution on her mother but had little desire to curb it at the moment. It would probably be funny as heck, anyway.
Midnight opened her mouth to respond, then closed it with a snort. The choker was around her neck, the makeup on her face, and her mane done up; end of discussion. Sapphire moved up next to her and laid a wing on her whither. The pegasus was dressed in a simple silver dress and dark blue shawl that matched her mane, which was in a bun with a few strands falling down the sides of her face.
"It looks good on you," she told her, making the kirin's face burn a bit more.
"I wouldn't mind it so much if it didn't feel like a collar," Midnight whispered back. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear she'd yank it the second I do something she doesn't like."
Sapphire snorted in amusement and slapped her playfully with her wing. "She's not going to treat you like a dog on a leash. Besides, what's the problem with being "girled up" once in a while? You didn't have a problem with it for the gala."
"That was different," Midnight said dismissively. "That was... just how it is. A big shin-dig where everypony dresses up. This is a dinner with the princesses, which we've been through before without being made up as if we were going on a date." As soon as the words left her mouth her eyes shot wide open and she looked over at Sapphire, her face burning yet again. The pegasus was looking up at her with an equally shocked expression with an equally deep blush that wasn't naturally hidden. "I-I mean dates with other ponies... separate... not together... not that you don't look good... I'm going to be quiet now." 'Stupid, Stupid, STUPID!' Midnight roared at herself as they entered the dining hall.
Looking anywhere but at the pegasus next to her, she took in the seating arrangements. At the head of the table, this one wider than the one they had at breakfast, sat both Celestia and Luna; Celestia to the left and Luna to the right. This time Cadance was on Luna's right, followed by Shining Armor, Broom, Holly, Night Skimmer, and Lieutenant Star Chaser. All of them were in their military dress uniforms and Midnight silently wished she could have come dressed in her own; she didn't have any problems wearing that. Oddly enough, Night Skimmer wasn't in uniform, but in a civilian dress coat.
The side of the table to Celestia's left was completely vacant. "Ah, come in and sit down everypony; we're just getting ready to order," the princess of the day told them, motioning to the empty seats. Midnight took the lead and sat down next to Celestia, followed by Sapphire, then the fillies, Summer, Orange, Windrunner, and finally Honeysuckle. The alicorn raised an eyebrow at their attire. "Quite the formal wardrobe this evening," she said with a smile.
"My mother felt it would be appropriate for the evening," Midnight told her with a straight face, but with just enough exasperation in her voice to make Summer shoot a look up the table at her.
"I can see she has good taste; as expected of somepony whose run a successful branch of a modeling agency," Celestia said diplomatically, soothing Summer. "Now, I'd say I'm in the mood for some pasta tonight..."
-----------------------------
"I am glad to hear they're doing well."
Princess Luna, Midnight, and Sapphire stood near one of the large windows near the front of the dining hall. For both security and upcoming seasonal reasons, the windows were shut to the night outside, though the moon and stars of the night sky were easily visible. Everypony but Luna, Celestia, and Night Skimmer had already left and the princess of the night had come up to them after the meal was over and had asked how the thestrals were adjusting to life in Ponyville. The two had reported that all were now established and, while not booming, their businesses were bearing fruit.
"Even with more and more ponies staying up later and later into the night, there still aren't enough ponies going out shopping for the things they're offering so late at night," Midnight explained. "We've been talking about maybe setting a stall for daytime hours, but we can't find anypony to run it at the moment."
There was a slight feeling of movement to her left, and Midnight turned to find Night Skimmer there. "Forgive me, I don't mean to interrupt," he said with a nod to Midnight and Sapphire, as well as a bow to the princess. "But, I was hoping to ask Captain Storm something, if I may."
"Of course, Captain Skimmer," Luna said with a nod.
Skimmer turned more fully to Midnight. "You see, I have tonight off and I was just wondering if you'd like to... to go out with me on a... date?" His eyes shot nervously away for a second and Midnight's grew wide. "I know we've just had dinner, so we don't have to do that if you don't want to, but there are a lot of things to do at night here in the city if you want to, like night clubs, bars, or just walk in a park or two or... or something."
Midnight stared down at him, hardly believing what was happening. Night Skimmer wanted to go out on a date with her? In a way, it was exactly what she wanted her whole life; somepony who knew who and what she was but still liked her and liked her enough to want to date her, just like she was any other pony in the world. But, at the same time, she didn't really have any romantic feelings for him. He was a fellow captain and a good friend but she didn't see him as a coltfriend or anything of the like. Then again, if he was showing interest in her, then maybe going on a date would change that?
Her eyes flicked over to Sapphire, and she could see several emotions flashing over the mare's face. Shock and confusion were clear but there were others beneath them that were going by too quickly for the kirin to ascertain. Luna, while also looking somewhat blindsided by her captain's action, was quickly recovering and looking interested in how things were going to play out.
Looking back, she found Skimmer's awkward smile had become a disappointed frown. "Look, I know this is all really sudden and if you don't want to that's okay..."
"N-No! I'll to go out with... with you," she finally said. "I just... nopony's ever asked before so I was just... shocked is all." She smiled, but it didn't feel right.
The smile returned to Skimmer's face. "Oh, well, okay then. Do you want to do anything before you go, like add some more makeup or...?"
"No, this is fine. Um, Sapphire?" The kirin turned to the pegasus and found her staring back up at her. She almost looked... pleading. As quick as that thought crossed her mind, Sapphire's face returned to its usual, content look. "Can you tell everypony what's going on so they don't get worried?"
Sapphire nodded. "Of course."
"Thank you." She turned back to Skimmer. "So... I guess we can go then?"
"Great! I know a few places close to the palace we could hit up first if you want, or we could..." their conversation trailed off as the two left the hall.
Luna watched them go, then turned towards Sapphire. The pegasus looked like she'd just lost something very important to her. "Miss Breeze?" the night princess said softly.
The pegasus jumped, as if she'd forgotten the alicorn was there with her. "Y-Yes, your highness?"
"Is everything alright? You seem... unhappy about what just transpired."
Sapphire shook her head, and the soft smile once again returned to her face. "Not at all! I'm glad Midnight found somepony interested in her. If you'll excuse me, I have to tell the others the good news." With a bow, Sapphire left the room as well.
Luna watched her leave, then turned to look at Celestia. The white alicorn was looking back. Both of them raised an eyebrow.
-----------------------------
Summer dropped the brush she'd been using, almost conking Autumn in the head. "She's WHAT!?" the unicorn exclaimed. Windrunner, Orange, and Honeysuckle looked equally as shocked as Summer. Arina squeaked something that sounded very similar and fell off the back of the chair she was climbing on.
Sapphire nodded. "Yes, she and Captain Skimmer are out on a date. She told me to tell all of you so you wouldn't get worried."
Summer sat back on her haunches. "Sweet Celestia, I almost thought I'd never see the day! Midnight's never shown any interest in anypony before..." She trailed off, then a grin split her face. "Oh, my baby girl is growing up! I'm so happy for her! I hope it goes great for them!"
Arina, also having recovered, began to chirp in what sounded like rather angry tones, waving her front legs around like she was possessed. A few chirps seemed to be aim Sapphire's way.
"Yes," Sapphire said quietly. "I'm sorry, everypony, but I'm feeling really tired; I'm going to go to bed a bit early tonight." She yawned and stretched out her wings.
"Everything alright?" Windrunner asked, eyeing the other pegasus.
Sapphire waved a hoof. "Yes, just... just tired is all. The princesses asked me to take care of a few things while I'm back and I've fallen out of the rhythm; easy life in the country and all that. I'll see you all in the morning." With that she trotted into her room and closed the door for the evening.
Except it didn't stay closed for the rest of the night.
A little over an hour later Sapphire's door swung open again, the pegasus stepping out and looking around. The lights in the common room were out but the one in the kitchenette shone brightly. Its light showed Windrunner closing the door to her own room behind her and the quiet clattering of cups told the blue pegasus that Honeysuckle must still be inside.
Sapphire made her way into the room just as Honey was turning towards the entranceway with a cup of water in her magic. "Oh, Sapphire, I thought you went to bed already." The unicorn cocked her head slightly. "Is something wrong?"
At first, Sapphire was going to shake her head, but she reminded herself why she was out here. "It's nothing serious but I still want to talk about it with somepony, if it's alright."
Honey nodded and motioned to follow her to the table where Arina was having her own drink of water-downed juice laid out in a saucer. As they sat down a second glass of water landed in front of Sapphire, and she nodded thanks to the unicorn. Her throat was starting to feel dry already.
"Well, you see, the thing is... uh..." Sapphire started, only to trail off. Honey stayed focused on her, waiting for her to continue, and Arina stopped her own drinking to listen in. "You see, I... I... I have this friend here in the castle..." Mentally she face-hoofed. Who in all of Equestria didn't know what that meant? Oh well, she'd already said it; might as well ride it to the end. "...and she's having some... romantic issues."
Honey nodded and took a sip of her water. "Just for the record, you do remember that I just see connections between ponies; I'm not like Princess Cadance who can hoof out love advise."
Sapphire nodded. "I know; I just need somepony else to bounce this all off of. Anyway, my friend has... feelings for another friend of hers, but she doesn't think the other friend feels the same way about her and she asked me what she should do. I don't really know and I thought I'd ask somepony I knew with at least a little bit of knowledge on the subject."
Honey tapped her chin for a few seconds, then shrugged. "Just tell your friend to pull him to the side and tell him how she feels. I know that always seems hard but that's the best I can tell you."
"Well, she would have done that already but the pony she likes is another mare, not a stallion."
Honey raised an eyebrow. "So? There're plenty of same-sex couples all over Equestria. Aren't Lyra and Bon Bon a couple?"
"So she doesn't even know if she likes mares like that!" Sapphire whispered loudly. "What if she doesn't!?"
"Then she'll tell her when they talk in private," Honey said matter-of-factly.
"But... but they couldn't be friends anymore after she told her that, right? Wouldn't things get a bit awkward if they know one has a crush on the other but the other doesn't?" Sapphire asked pleadingly.
Honey leaned back a bit. "Well, that's why you, she, talks with her friend in private, so she won't feel put on the spot. And, if they're friends, they should be able to find a way to stay friends even if one of them likes the other as more than a friend. Yeah, things might be awkward at first but the friendship won't end as long as they don't let it." She got up from the table. "Ponies make such a big deal out of love, even before it really ever takes root. As far as I'm concerned, it's very simple. If it works out, great, but if it doesn't, then there's always more ponies in the hills and sky. It isn't like you only get one chance at it. Just tell your friend not to worry about it too much." With that Honey walked out of the room, leaving Sapphire to study her water in silence. Arina climbed up onto her whither and nuzzled her neck, chirping softly.
-----------------------------
Princess Cadance trotted through the doors and out into one of the more secluded gardens on the castle grounds. She loved this time of night, so peaceful and quiet. It was the perfect time for couples to snuggle into bed together, to share secrets, to just be close to one another. It was also the time some of her favorite flowers were open and this night would be one of the last times she'd get to see them in bloom before the upcoming winter and her royal duties separated her from them.
She yawned and stretched her wings. If only she could have gotten Shining to come out with her but he was still reviewing their route and plans for each visit. He may be a great captain of the guard but he also needed to loosen up a bit. Then again, that's why she requested that he come along with her, wasn't it? She smiled, but it quickly disappeared when she rounded the last bush before the clearing she was aiming for.
Across the way and standing on the shore of the fish pond was the kirin Midnight Storm, still in her evening wear and staring out over the water. Her wings, tail, and ears were all drooped slightly and she didn't even twitch as Cadance slowly approached. She didn't even acknowledge the alicorn's presence until they were standing next to each other and Cadance had cleared her throat.
"Huh? Oh, Princess Cadance, hello," Midnight muttered, giving her a small, polite bow. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you approach. Is there something I can do for you?"
"No, I'm fine," Cadance assured her. "I'm just taking a break from going over the itinerary with Captain Armor. It's already done but he wants to make sure we didn't overlook anything."
Midnight let out a snort of amusement. "Like sister, like brother I guess."
Cadance chuckled. "They have rubbed off on each other in some ways. By the way, I heard about Captain Skimmer asking you out on a date earlier; can I ask how it went?"
Midnight was about to ask her how she'd heard about that but remembered who her aunts were. She let out a sigh. "It was alright. He took me out to a few places, we took a walk through a park, the usual romantic stuff you read about." Her wings and tail fidgeted, then she continued. "However... I don't think Captain Skimmer and I will be going out on a second one."
"Oh my, can I ask what happened?" Cadance asked gently. It didn't sound like the kirin was angry but disappointed and depressed. On the one hoof that was good because whatever was going on probably wasn't Skimmer's fault but on the other, something had certainly gone wrong for Midnight to be acting this way.
"Nothing; like I said it was a nice night out on the town. It's just... I just don't feel the same way about Skimmer as he obviously feels about me." She drooped a bit more.
"Well, if that's all it is, then you should tell him now before things get too serious or things might become downright unpleasant between the two of you," Cadance told her seriously.
Midnight nodded. "I should, and I will, but things on my end are a bit more complicated than that. The thing is, he's the first pony ever to ask me out and I might have still given the two of us a try anyway if it wasn't for the fact that I... well..."
Cadance's ears perked up. "You like somepony else, don't you?"
Midnight hesitated, then nodded. She wasn't about to go spilling her guts out but she did agree with Sapphire that talking things out was better than holding it all in. In this case, however, Sapphire was the problem and who better to talk about relationships than with a pony who had love for a cutie mark? "I do."
"Then why did you agree to go out with Skimmer in the first place?"
"Because he sprung the question on me and I just..." she shook her head. "I didn't know what else to say. He's been a good friend and I didn't want to ruin things between us by flat-out refusing him, especially with others around. Actually... that's the reason I haven't said anything to the pony I like."
Cadance looked up slightly in thought. She had feeling for a friend; things could indeed get complicated then. "Have you shown him you're interested at all? A stroke of a wing or walking very close next to him?"
Midnight's head ducked lower. "Well... up till now I've never really thought about being in a relationship with a pony like that until recently and... I'm not really into stallions, I guess. I think I might have sent a few signals her way, but I don't think I sent them right, if I did."
Cadance raised an eyebrow. So, she likes a mare then? "Well, the first thing you should do, after talking with Skimmer, is pull her to the side and, in private, tell her you like her as more than a friend and if she could possibly feel the same way about you. The privacy thing is really important so that you don't put her in an awkward position like Skimmer did to you. I might drop that in his ear the next time I see him, for his own sake next time."
Midnight nodded. "I'm just scared I'll ruin our friendship. I've heard of that before, one friend telling the other they like them that way and then things are never the same. I don't want to ruin that." Then her face grew hard and she slapped the water. "Of course I would. Why would she want to be with me anyway? I'm a grouch, I kill things so I can eat them, I look like, like this!" She gestured to herself. "Sure, we're friends, but she wouldn't want to be intimate with something like me-ow!" Midnight rubbed her head as Cadance threw the stick she'd just hit the kirin with away.
"Stop thinking like that right now! There's nothing wrong with the way you act or look and if any of those bothered her she wouldn't be your friend in the first place." She took a breath. "Love is scary and makes you feel and think things you'd normally never even consider. Yes, she may not feel the same way about you and you have to be ready for that possibility but you can't let the fear of rejection stop you from even trying. Yes, rejection hurts, but knowing where you both stand is far better than always looking back and asking yourself "what if?", because that 'what if' will haunt you for a very long time. So she doesn't feel the same way; it isn't like this is your only shot at love with somepony. If you're afraid of losing a friend, then be mature about it; find a way you both can still be friends without making things awkward." She took another breath. "Confidence. You have to be confident when telling her how you feel, you have to be confident that you'll still be friends no matter how things turn out, and you have to be confident that there'll be somepony else for you if she isn't the one."
"But what if-"
Cadance smacked her with a wing. "No buts! No what ifs! No second guessing! You start thinking that way and you'll never find out if she feels the same way about you. Tell me, how do you feel about flying?"
"I... well, I love it," Midnight told her, surprised by the change of subject.
"And how did you first feel when you looked out over a really high takeoff point when you were still learning?" the alicorn pressed.
"Like I was doing the stupidest thing in the world," Midnight said, thinking back to the first time she jumped off her roof. At the time she was sure she'd just landed herself in the hospital, even though she'd been able to get airborne from jumping off boxes and such.
"But you still did it, because you wanted to fly so badly you ignored how bad the consequences could be and jumped anyway. That's the attitude you have to have here."
Midnight snorted. "You make it sound so easy."
"It isn't, but it is worth it," Cadance told her. She stretched her wings again. "Hey, it's late. Why don't we both call it a night? Some sleep ought to do us good."
Midnight nodded and followed the alicorn back inside the castle.
-----------------------------
Sapphire forced back a yawn as she nodded towards a maid she was passing in the hallway early the next morning. She could have sworn she'd seen the mare's eyes flash green for a second, but she was sure it was just her half asleep brain playing tricks with her.
Even after her short talk with Honey, she still couldn't sleep. Why did stuff like this have to be so hard? The way her mother made it sound, she and her father had met and fallen in love right then. Tartarus, he'd asked her out on the spot and she'd just said yes. No hesitation, no hemming and hawing, just "yes, let's start dating!". Maybe because they hadn't known each other was why it had been so easy.
She sighed and continued on her way. Her destination was the fish pond in the back garden. It was the most secluded of all the palace gardens and a great place to think, even more so with the sun just peaking over the horizon and only the guards out and about.
'I have to tell her how I feel,' she thought as she made her way outside. 'Maybe when we go out on a flight back home we could find a big, secluded cloud and...' She froze as she made her way around some bushes. There, across the clearing on the bank of the pond, was Midnight. Her mouth felt suddenly dry and she couldn't get her legs to move. What was she doing out here so early, and why here of all the places within the castle grounds? Slowly, she forced herself to move forward again.
Midnight didn't even notice her until she was next to her, and even then Sapphire had to cough to get her attention, which seemed fixed on the center of the pond.The kirin practically jumped when she realized Sapphire was there. "S-Sapphire! W-What are you doing up so early!?"
"I... I couldn't sleep," she admitted, not making eye contact. "How about you? If there isn't work then you usually aren't up for another few hours yourself."
"I... couldn't sleep either," the kirin confessed.
"I'm sorry," Sapphire said, making Midnight's head swing around. "I guess the date didn't go so well last night." A small part of her hoped Skimmer had royally screwed up in some way, but she shoved it away. Skimmer was a great pony who had fought against his own colony to make Equestria a better place and was a captain of a royal guard. She was just some secretary who'd been assigned to Midnight. It wouldn't be surprising if the kirin had fallen for him. She'd said yes to him last night after all.
"No, it was nice. Skimmer knows how to treat a mare," Midnight said, looking away again and rubbing her leg with a hoof. "But... I just don't think I'll be going out with him again. It turns out I don't feel the same way about him as he feels about me."
Sapphire looked up at the kirin. "But... you said yes when he asked you out last night!" she said, some accusation in her voice. "If you don't like him that way, why did you go out with him in the first place?"
"Because he sprung the question on me and I was so surprised it just came out," Midnight told her. "Maybe if he'd pulled me to the side first but you and Luna were there and looking at me and I thought if I said no we'd both look... I don't know, stupid, embarrassed, jerkish?" She sighed. "I don't know," she repeated, then fell silent.
"So, I guess you've been trying to figure out a way to break it to him?" Sapphire asked.
Midnight shook her head. "No, that bit I've got all figured out. The truth is, I've been trying to figure out a way to say something to somepony else."
They both looked at each other.
"Sapphire-"
"Midnight-"
They stopped and looked away again.
"I'm sorry, you first," Sapphire said.
"No, I've been doing a lot of talking already."
"Really, I insist."
Midnight opened her mouth to object, but closed it. Her wings and tail fidgeted. "To tell you the truth, there's another reason I don't want to go out with him again. I'm... not really into a relationship with a stallion. I've never really thought of romance until now and it took a date with one for me to realize that. I... actually want one with a mare, one mare in particular, so... there's that."
Sapphire felt her heart begin to beat faster and her cheek begin to warm.
Midnight turned her body to face the pegasus. "Sapphire, we've only know each other for a year and a half but you're my best friend. I... I..." 'Confidence; just tell her!' "The thing is, all of my friends and family are like my horde, as Zecora put it, and even in a horde the size of a mountain, a dragon has his favorite pieces. Squeaks is my daughter, so of course I love her with all my heart, but, right now, there's another gem and I like that one a lot, too, so..." Sapphire was looking up at her, a blush clear on her face but she also looked confused at the analogy Midnight was trying to make. Midnight could also feel her face burning and she found her words caught in her throat. "Sapphire, I... I..." 'Damn it, Midnight, just tell her!'
"I... I like you!" she blurted out "I like you as more than a friend! I want to be near you and keep you safe and make you happy! I want to go out on dates with you and be there when you need a shoulder to cry on and... and..." Midnight finally caught herself. Sapphire was looking up at her, eyes wide and mouth open in surprise. Midnight looked back over the pond, her wings and tail pulled in close. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, "but that's how I feel. If you don't like me that way I understand; I just hope we can still be friends after this and..." She trailed off as she felt a muzzle rub her neck. Looking down, she found Sapphire against her, nuzzling into the crook of her neck. "Sapphire?"
"Every time my mom talked about me settling down with somepony, I always pictured myself with a stallion and it never made me happy. I figured it was because I always pictured the wrong kind of stallion but recently I figured out it was because I was thinking only of stallions. When I started thinking of myself with mares, I started to like the idea more and then I began thinking of one mare in particular. You're brave, kind hearted, selfless, and strong. When you've been scared, hurt, or sad, I wanted to be there for you because it hurt to see you like that. I want to be there to make you smile, to make you happy and tell you everything will be alright."
Even as Sapphire wrapped her wings around the kirin, Midnight's even larger wings engulfed them, shielding them from the rest of the world. "I was afraid to say anything because I wasn't even sure..."
"...if I even liked mares to begin with?" Midnight finished for her. Sapphire nodded. "I could say the same thing. Then, even when I actually thought about it, I wasn't even sure why'd you like me that way. I mean, I'm a grouch, I kill things, and I look like... well..." She flexed her body. "I'm not exactly normal."
Sapphire actually chuckled at that. "And all I am is a secretary! I thought you'd want somepony in the guard or something!"
"I guess we both have a lot to learn about each other still," Midnight said, leaning down and nuzzling her forehead.
"I'd like that," Sapphire said, leaning up to nuzzle her back.
They found themselves nose to nose with each other.
They stared at one another for a bit, then leaned their heads back. It was a short, chaste kiss, and a little awkward, but it sent jolts through both of them.
-----------------------------
"Well, it appears you were right, dear Cadance," Princess Luna said as she watched the kirin and pegasus settle down next to each other near the pond. "Although, I was sure she was talking about her lieutenant. Miss Breeze seems a bit... tame for her, as it were."
"True, but I think they complement each other perfectly," Cadance said as she, too, looked down on the new couple.
Next to them, Arina was hopping up and down, chirping excitedly and waving her front legs, which each held a cotton ball that somehow had a M and an S on them.
"By the way, Aunt Luna, where did you find... her?" Cadance asked, eyeing the arachnid.
"In one of the halls following her owner. I scooped her up so that Captain Storm might have some time alone to think... and allow this to happen uninterrupted. I'm sure my sister will be happy to hear about this as well; it may not have been her intention, but she always did enjoy playing match-maker."
Behind them, Night Skimmer looked like a colt that had been promised a puppy for Hearth's Warming, only to find out all his presents were alfalfa that was also going to be Hearth's Warming dinner. "What did I do wrong?" he asked plaintively. "Did I come on too strong? Not strong enough? Did I take her to the wrong places?"
"I'm sorry captain, but sometimes things just don't work out like we hope," Cadance said, trying to sound as sorry as possible. Finding out this way had to suck.
"Suck it up sir; there are more fish in the sea," Lieutenant Star Chaser said. She marched out past him, and as she did so she swatted him with her tail. "Come on sir; you resume your duties tonight and it's time you hit the sack."
"Right," Skimmer said, getting up and following her.
Luna and Cadance looked at them, then each other. They both grinned and looked back down at the kirin and the pegasus while Arina continued to hop around.