Night and Day

by Tom Ink

Date

“San Flankcisco?”

“I thought it was San Fransciscolt?”

“I always thought it was San Flankcisco.”

“No, no, I’ve got a cuz there, it’s San Franciscolt.”

Golden Sun and White Spear argued about the name of the town where they were supposed to go on mission with Celestia. The departure was expected in the morning for a return tomorrow afternoon, still by train.

“Why do we argue on the names?” Golden asked himself, carefully watching the piece of paper with the details of the mission. “Look, Luna is supposed to go with Celestia and that means her guards too, and so Midnight!” Golden said, amazed. If he wasn’t in the reception hall of the royal guard’s school, he would have bounce all around.

White Spear calmed him. “I’m happy for you, Coltsanova, but you will need to be quieter if you don’t want to be discovered. And you’re not really quiet now,” White explained. Golden raised an eyebrow, asking a nonverbal question. “I mean, look at you, it’s like you’re going to the land of rainbows and sweets! The attitude, dude, it’s all the attitude.”

Golden stood up and resumed his position in his shining armor. “Yeah, you’re right. But I’ve got a plan. In the train, it will be like the trip in Ponyville; we’ll be face to face, it will be weird and all, so I need to create a diversion to be alone with Midnight for a moment,” Golden detailed.

“A diversion? Don’t worry, I’m in. You’ve got a professional here,” White boasted, puffing his chest. “And then?”

Golden continued. “Then, I will ask her if she wants to go on a date with me at night, when there will be another team to replace us. And at night, you cover me, and I hope she’ll take care of Starry,” the Pegasus explained.

“And if the evening goes well, I will need to leave you two alone in our room ?” White smiled, adding his traditional wink. Golden seemed offended.

“Not the first night! I’m not that kind of stallion. And I don’t think she… err… what are you saying?!!” Golden widened his eyes. “We’ll see if she wants to go on a date first. If she says yes, we’ll have fun, we’ll talk, and then, well…” He blushed a bit and hesitated. White followed.

“You’ll have another kind of fun.”

A murderous glare from his friend stopped him to go further.

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop. Don’t worry, everything will be okay. She’ll totally fall for you.” Golden slightly bent his head, praying to her boss that his plan would stay on track.

“I would like to be as confident as you.” He sighed, before standing up again. “Let’s go, the Princess is waiting.”

The royal delegation from Canterlot was composed of the Princesses, some assistants, and eight guards, four for the day team, and four for the night team, seated according their assignment in the train. Midnight and Starry faced Golden and White as the day teams, as in Ponyville, but neither Midnight nor Golden betrayed anything on their face, staying neutral behind their helmets.

The trip was going to be long, five to six hours, and at half of it, in the wagon with the guards and the rest of the delegation, next to the Princesses’ cart, White and Golden launched their plan. White rose up and went to where Celestia was, their wagons only separated by a door. He came back a few minutes later and turned to Starry.

“Lieutenant Starry Eyes, Luna wants to see you immediately,” he announced with his best commanding voice. The batpony raised an eyebrow, surprised, and frowned, still not forgetting the Ponyville incident.

“Why should I believe you, Pegasus?” he spat. “Isn’t it one of your tricks? And why should I go alone?”

“’I’m just telling you what I’ve heard, Lieutenant. And I don’t want to start the wrath of the Princess by disobeying to her orders,” he approached the batpony and frowned his eyes, “do you?’

Starry widened his eyes, mumbled something quietly and rose from his seat, letting Midnight alone with Golden, White keeping watch of the door in case Starry would come back earlier. Silence fell for a few seconds, before Midnight spoke first.

“That’s all you find so we can talk again?” she laughed. Golden slightly bent his head, looking embarrassed. Midnight saw it and followed. “Well, I’m all ears, so… you want to see me again, that’s it?”

Golden looked up and mumbled a tiny “yes”. Midnight laughed again.

“You want to go on a date with me in San Flankcisco tonight?”

“San Franciscolt,” Golden corrected.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. If that’s your question, then yes. I thought about it and I want to see you again too, and not in a creepy cave in the Everfree forest. See you at eight tonight, in the lobby.”

“And for-“ Golden started.

“I will take care of Starry, yeah. Be on time, featherhead,” she smiled, giving him a wink. Golden smiled and gave her a wink too, just before White came back, closely followed by Starry, who looked angry.

“Luna never asked me to come, pegasus!” he roared, stopping in front of White, who stayed calm.

“Oh? I might have make a mistake. No biggie, lieutenant,” he replied. Starry kept his eyes frowned and sat down, never stopping to stare at the Pegasus.

“I don’t know what game you’re playing, but be sure that I will find out the truth, sooner or later, featherhead.” Midnight and Golden can’t help but slightly laugh. Starry quickly turned to the batpony, who resumed a good posture on her seat and kept a straight face during the rest of the trip, like the two other guards. Starry kept his eyebrows frowned until San Franciscolt, ready to explode if something unusual would appear in front of him. The stare contest knew its second round on the train.

The day went normally, without changelings this time, and the Princesses were lodged at the Colton of San Franciscolt, in rooms closely watched by the night team of royal guards and batponies. Midnight/Starry and White/Golden were on separate floors, and in rooms for two, in case they were needed by emergency.

In the pegasus’room.

“So, what’s the plan for tonight?” White asked, finishing the cleaning of his armor after a hard day of work. Golden seemed a bit tense, his friend immediately noticed.

“Hey, Golden, are you okay?” he asked when he heard no answer from the other pony.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, just…,” the Pegasus rose his head and met the eyes of his friend, “I just really hope everything will be fine. It’s been a long time since I dated a mare and… I really like her and I don’t want to…” he mumbled, lowering his eyes again. White lowered his head and lift up the chin of his friend.

“Hey, don’t think I was that blind in the train. How you looked at her, how she looked at you… What I mean is that it will only work if you believe in you. Do you believe in you?”

Golden let out a small: “Yes.”

“What?” White put a hoof on his ear. “I can’t hear you. You sure you like her? It’s not like you mean it! Tonight, are you gonna be the sinewy captain of the hoofball team or the schoolmare who’s totally unable to put one hoof in front of the other cause she’s so stunned by the captain?” For pep talks, White was the best, and the answer came in a big smile drawing on Golden’s face.

“Yeah! Yeah! I’m the captain, and no mare can resist me!” he said, jumping on the bed. Him and his friend burst out laughing, before making a bro-hoof while Golden approached the door, giving his last advice.

“Have a good night, White! Have fun polishing your armor!”

White took the pillow next to him and threw it to Golden, just before he closed the door.

“If you weren’t my friend, I would say you suggest something disgusting!” he managed to say, missing his target. Golden walked into the corridors, more confident than ever.

Captain mode: on.

Eight o’clock. Lobby of the Colton Hotel in San Franciscolt. In the elevator that led him to the first floor, Golden posed in the mirror, showing his white teeth and motivating himself with small sentences like “Yeah!”, “Tonight! You rock!” or “Midnight, I’m coming!”

When the elevator’s door opened, he was still busy watching himself in the mirror, and the reflection showed him his image and….
Midnight?

The batpony’s elevator arrived a few seconds before, and she barely made a step outside before Golden’s opened too. The pegasus quickly turned and smiled awkwardly, before mumbling. “Oh… M-Midnight, a-already here… I’m…” He nearly stumbled when he left the elevator and got closer to her, stopping in front of her. She smiled teasingly.

“Yeah, I’m already here. I hope you want to spend your night with me instead of your reflection,” she laughed. “Come on, Golden, let’s go,” she added, passing before him and brushing her tail under his chin. The strong legs of the hoofball team captain just became the wobbly ones of the schoolmare.

After a few seconds of daydreaming, Golden shook his head, came to his senses and followed Midnight to the entrance of the hotel, asking the question that burnt his lips (and worried him slightly). “Midnight, what about Starry?”

“Yes, don’t worry ‘bout that. He will take a biiiiiig nap,” Midnight explained. “I gave him some sleeping pills. He will take some extra shifts in Luna’s landscape. And your friend?”

Golden thought quickly about his friend, who luckily wasn’t as pernickety as Starry about the strictly separation rules between guards. “He knows about us; he covers for me. I really should introduce him to you, he’s really a great friend…,” Golden smiled. Midnight slightly lowered her head.

“Yeah, friends…. Can’t say I have a bucket full of them. For us, batponies, it’s work, work, work, you see?” Midnight asked, without waiting for an answer. “It’s hard to make friends when you’re a batpony. Ponies are scared of you, they think you’re gonna suck their blood or bullshit like that. Be honest, am I scary?” she questioned, showing her fangs and her golden eyes.

‘You’re beautiful,’ the pegasus almost said without thinking. Instead, he turned his head in front of her and answered simply, “No. When you’re a royal guard, you’ve seen things that are a lot scarier. I remembered once….” The pegasus turned his head on the left and noticed that Midnight wasn’t here anymore. But they just passed the front doors of the hotel...

“Midnight?” The stallion started to panic. He watched all around, trying to see the golden eyes of the batpony in the darkness that began to fall.

A few seconds later, the sound of a wingbeat made his ears pricked. He raised his head, and….

“BOO!” Golden stepped back, and fell to the ground, letting out a really unfit scream for a royal guard, that only made him think that he wasn’t able to be the hoofball captain tonight. Midnight burst out laughing and slowly landed on the ground, trying to not make too much fun of him.

“Fearless, huh?” she managed to say between two fits of laugh, reaching out her hoof to help him recover. Golden happily accepted the hoof and wiped some dust on his fur. “So, what’s the plan for tonight? And no mushy stuff, I’m not that kind of mare,” she added.

Golden regained some confidence and smiled teasingly. “You know how to fly, but do you know how to dance?”

*****************************************************************

“Back in the Saddle?” Midnight asked, frowning her eyes to read the letters wrote with neon lights.

“What? Batponies never hang out for fun ?” Golden asked too. “After all, you live at night.”

“You know, we aren’t exactly known for that, but well, I trust you,” she answered, entering in the nightclub, followed by Golden who went straight to the dancefloor. From the outside, the low frequencies already gave an idea of the astounding sound inside, and they weren’t disappointed.

On the dancefloor, all kind of ponies were dancing, the strobe lights illuminating every inch of the nightclub, the mirror balls and lasers exciting all the dancers’ senses, and made them enter a daze if they landed a hoof close to the loudspeakers where rhythms punched theirs ears. For a batpony with sensitive ears like Midnight, she had to wait a moment before adjusting to this new and spectacular show, one she’d never seen before. Golden took her to the middle of the dancefloor, taking her by the hoof, before starting to dance frantically.

“Come on, lose yourself! Dance! You’re free!” he shouted to encourage her, while the last hit from the Galloping Stones was playing from the loudspeakers. “Wow, Undercover of the Neigh!”

A bit worried at first- she feared somepony could recognize her- she quickly noticed that nopony cared about a batpony in the dancefloor. They were rarely seen outside Canterlot, and their reputation hadn’t reached some cities. And the world of the night was known to be more open than others.

Midnight looked up, smiled, and mimicked Golden’s moves, a master in the art of using his four hooves, for fighting changelings or to party all the night on the dancefloor.

For a long time, rhythm possessed their bodies and they danced without a care in the world. Golden could admire Midnight’s body dancing with grace, and Midnight could admire Golden’s mane flowing at every move. For a mare who hates the romantic stuff, it was a real challenge, and Midnight surprised herself by staring at the pegasus while dancing.

Thanks to a break between the songs, Golden made a head sign towards the bar and Midnight nodded, following him. They sat on two chairs at the counter and waited for the barcolt, who stopped in front of Midnight.

“Good evening, may I take your orders?” he asked, finishing filling another glass.

“I will take a beer,” Golden answered.

“Same,” Midnight said, putting her hooves on the counter.

“Two beers, coming right up,” the barcolt said before going away to fill the two glasses. Midnight turned her head to Golden.

“I hope you won’t roll under the table after one drink,” she laughed.

Golden sighed, dismissively. “Hey, I’m not in charge now. And I know my job; I will take just one drink tonight. I can’t let people have doubts about what we did together.”

“Talking about that…,” Midnight started, looking from left to right, checking her surroundings. “What do you think about that… thing, you know… the separation between batponies and royal guards? I mean… war stuff and all…,” she ended, looking up to meet Golden’s eyes.

The pegasus answered without hesitation. “To be honest? That’s bullshit. These stories, I’ve heard them since I was born. Thanks,” he said, turning his head to the barcolt who just brought their beers. “I mean, I know it’s complicated, but I never had problems with batponies. There are more dangerous threats than you for Equestria and the Princess, don’t you think?” He took a sip of his beer to relieve his dry throat.

Midnight nodded while taking her glass with two hooves. “Yeah, I see. At school, they said royal guards are our mortal enemies, that we shouldn’t trust them, blah-blah-blah…” She took a sip. “I think it’s all bullshit too. In any case, I think you’re cool, nice and…”

“Attractive?” Golden took his chance, encouraged by the good progress of the evening.

“Don’t push it too far, pegasus. But… yeah, it’s worth taking risks to spend a night drinking and end deaf with you,” she let down her drink and punched him with her shoulder in a friendly gesture. Golden broadly smiled and did the same, taking care to not spill his beer in the process.

“And what do you risk, spending a night here with me?” he asked more seriously. Midnight put a hood on her chin, letting the other on the counter.

“Well, for starters, being sent to jail. Then excluded from the army, and then… I don’t really know. That never happened before. I mean, you’re the first to do that kind of thing. That’s really dangerous…” During Midnight’s explanation, Golden gently approached his hoof from hers, and she noticed it now. She didn’t speak for a few seconds, stared at the hoof, then land her own above his, stroking it slightly. “… And I like that,” she whispered in his ear.

Golden felt he had scored the victory touchdown, and his head was buzzing as an entire crowd applauded in his mind. Or was it the beer?

Silence fell for a few minutes the, Midnight drew back her hoof and finished her drink. Golden never took his eyes out of her, even for a second. “So, you - what do you risk by being here with the enemy?” she asked.

“Huh? Oh…” Golden came to his senses, lost in his thoughts. “Well… in the history, we’re the bad guys with the massacre, the exile, so… Let’s say Celestia will need to find another guard if the news’s spreading,” he answered.

“Cool, we’re totally outlaws. Imagine the headlines,” she raised her hoof and turned it from left to right. “Equestria is freaking out: a batpony and a royal guard become…. We’re friends, right?” she asked, as if to be reassured.

Golden raised his drink and reached out to the batpony. “We’re already drink buddies, and we spent a night together in a cave, so yeah, if you want, we can be friends,” he declared, happy to see that the night went even better than he expected. “Cheers,” they clinked their glasses together, and they gulped what was left of their beers. She wiped her mouth with her hoof and couldn’t hold a yawn, Golden noticing it.

“Already tired?” he asked. “I thought you were a night owl.” He took the opportunity to check the clock in the nightclub. Already eleven?

“Yep, but I haven’t slept for two days, and now…,” another yawn, “I start to drift off. Sorry if…”,,she started to apologize.

“No, no, that’s okay. Let’s play it safe for the moment. Just in case…,” Golden continued. “And we must wake up early tomorrow, so let’s go.” He got up from his chair and reached out his hoof to help Midnight. She rolled her eyes and jumped to the floor her own, watching him with a teasing smile.

“Who do you think I am? I’m not that kind of mare,” she laughed. “Come on, feather head; take me to momma’s house.”

Golden stood still for a few seconds, a bit puzzled, but not in an unpleasant way. She wasn’t the kind of mare who played the damsel in distress, waiting for her stallion in shining armor to help her. She liked to take risks. She was bold. She…

She was unique.

The walk back to the hotel was calm, even if the sound of the buzzing streets could be hardly described as ‘calm’. Midnight and Golden stared at each other from time to time, well especially the latter, who had trouble to not watch the batpony. Finally, the question that burnt his lips was too tempting to ask, and he spoke when the hotel was in sight.

“Midnight, tonight was really… nice. You…” He was at a loss for words, and Midnight stopped next to him. “You… do you want to go on another date with me soon? Well, not in Canterlot, it’s too risky, but outside, you know, like when we’re on a mission and-“

“Yeah. Sure,” Midnight answered. “That was… nice. I would like to see you again… You’re… cool…” For the first time of the evening, Golden saw a blush on her face, and seeing her like that gave him some extra confidence, and a warm feeling in his chest, even in the cold weather.

“Outside of work, I mean, cause it’s not like we won’t see each other every day, hahaha.” She seemed a bit uncomfortable. Golden came to her rescue and reached out his hoof.

“Promise?”

For a moment, he felt as if White was in front of him. Midnight understood and reached her hoof too.

“Promise,” the batpony answered. A hoof-bump sealed the deal. They resumed their walk and arrived at the almost empty hotel, with only a reception clerk here to welcome the nightly customers. They separated in front of the elevators, not before Golden tried one last thing to end the night.

“Good night, Midnight,” he said, facing the batpony before her elevator came.

“Good night, Golden.” At this moment, the pegasus leaned on and puckered his lips, hoping for the best. He closed his eyes and felt a body getting closer to him. But instead of something on his lips, he heard somepony whispered at his ear.

“Nice try. But I’ve told you, I’m not that kind of mare,” she laughed. “Well, not on the first date, at least” she added, entering in the elevator, giving a last wink when the doors closed in front of Golden, who hesitated between disappointment and joy. So he just smiled.

He needed a few minutes to recover before going up to his room. But as soon as he opened the door, White was waiting for him, and didn’t lose a second before blasting him with questions.

“So, captain or schoolmare?” he asked from his bed, where he was laying, waiting for the return of his friend.

Golden still had the broad smile that hasn’t left his face since Midnight’s last words. “The captain”, he said, falling on his bed. “Totally the captain.”

“Mmm, should I get that my friend Golden Sun just find the mare of his dreams and she wants to see him again and he also wants to see her again and that’s only the beginning of his troubles?” he laughed, never losing his humor even at this time of the night.

Golden turned his head towards White. “We promised to see each other again, and I’m totally fine with it.”

“What?!” the pegasus exclaimed. “No kiss, no super mushy stuff, no burning words of love like ‘Oh my love, I can’t live without you. Let’s go to live our love freely, out of this unfair world’?” he said, taking a dramatic pose. He turned his head to Golden. “Come on, I want to hear the entire story.”

Golden deeply inhaled and told everything. When he was finished, White whistled and declared, “This mare, you never let her go. Batpony or not, she’s made for you.”

“Thanks, White. You’ll need to cover for me again next time,” Golden reached his hoof and they made a hoof-bump.

“Anytime you need it, Golden. Anytime,” he said before yawning. “At least, your evening was nicer than mine.” Golden didn’t waste the opportunity.

“What? You didn’t polish your armor all night?” White didn’t miss his target, and the pillow fell right on Golden’s face. “Hey!”

“That was for last time. You deserve it,” White defended, before laughing and falling again on the bed. “Well, time to sleep. We have work tomorrow.” He turned the light off, leaving Golden alone with his thoughts.

Sleep didn’t come easily that night and he thought about the batpony for a long time, recalling their promise to see each other again. When? Where? How? The questions would find their answers later. The only thing that matters was that she wanted to see him again. And that could only mean one thing: Mission accomplished.

Comments

[Amethyst Blade]

While the concept is great and the writing is decent enough...The whole seperation of the guard and races for what seem to amount to 5 years is a bit much and shouldn't have worked at all...So...Imma be gone. There is also the threat of windigoes that needed to be considered when you are in the setting like Equestria.

[DualKitsune]

It's nice to see a simple romance.

[pahnazd]

But... but... I only just started to read this story, and I'm already at the (for the time being) last chapter?
A nice, relatively simple romance. No world ending situations so far, just a story of two souls from when they met onwards.

Though the reasoning of the other bat guards are pretty bullshit I would say. Oh well, some can't help it.

Definitely looking forward to more though

[V4SH]

Now I can't be the only one getting a Romeo and Juliet vibe from this fic can I? The hole "you are forbidden from taking with the enimey" thing not bring it up? I just hope it does not have a simmer ending with Romeo and Juliet.

"Good work dude, and keep on going on!"

[AF FireFly]

“Back in the Saddle?” Midnight asked, frowning her eyes to read the letters wrote with neon lights.

Welp. Now I need to go blast some Areosmith