The Unbroken Spear

by Jamis

17. Both Yours, And Those Beside You

The sun rose and the moon lowered in the sky. Luna was almost strong enough to lower and raise her moon on her own. Her hair now flowed like Celestia's and her mane had darkened. She was a bit taller than the average pony but not as tall as Atreus. And Celestia was taller than him, if only by a bit. As the morning began and that duty was finished the princesses moved from Celestia's balcony into her room where Atreus stood silent in his full attire, the illusions were no longer present, but Luna and Celestia were having actual armor for his torso and upper arms commissioned, if only so he wouldn't stand out as much when Luna was accompanied by him.

It was three days since the ceremony and Luna quickly learned she should not assume Atreus would prefer sleep, he would be waiting outside her door when she left to lower the moon each morning. He was not happy with her when she said he didn't need to accompany her everywhere. "Then when and where should I. As far as I know a guard's job is to be close in case something happens. If you have no guards accompanying you every morning before the sun rises. Then that is an opportunity for those who want to exploit it." he said these words to her after she had left the morning after the ceremony without informing him she was leaving, he had been awake and waiting. He was a bit quieter that breakfast, but had not held the frustration long.

'I will simply have to get used to his presence during the waking hours of my day. Not that he is unpleasant, but I am not used to not being alone.' ,breakfast was brief with little conversation, it was cut shorter by Celestia's increased paperwork over the last few days. The solar diarch would have to do some before starting court. She had been busy the last few days explaining and listing the laws Luna was unfamiliar with to her. She had learned most of them, Celestia had made sure that she did not create a larger bureaucratic nightmare than she had to. But despite how much time the two had spend together talking about the laws they were probably only half way done. 'I pity Celestia, she has so many more duties than me.' at that moment she realized something she could do, 'Night court, I could re-open the night court. It would help ease ponies who thought they would be unable to speak with Celestia by providing another chance to have their issues heard. I could also remove some of the ponies from waiting in the day court for Celestia... I suppose it would not be many but it would help.'

Luna's determined look was noticed by Pantheon but he simply decided she would say what was on her mind if she wanted to. She sat down at her desk once they had reached her tower, the desk had some minor paper work on it as well as a few law books for her to read once she was done. The room was much like the rest of the tower if a bit more luxurious and ornate, dark wood, blue cloth, pieces of art on the walls, and the moon and stars in several places

As she worked another thought struck her, 'The solar guard would have to rearrange or create new shifts for their guards so I could hold night court.' This made her a bit less exited, as much as she wanted to help that way she would also create more work for others, and ponies may not show up for a few nights until word spread. Sighing she decide she would have to shelve the night court until she had enough recruits to guard the throne room and start to take over the night-shifts of the solar guard. 'I wonder if any of them would transfer so as to keep their shifts, unlikely, most of them probably don't enjoy the night shifts.'

At lunch the lunar princess talked to Celestia about the idea of the night court. She liked the idea but pointed out a few possible issues. After discussing the possibility of some of the solar guard transferring Atreus spoke up, "I think it will not be a significant number of the solar guard but compared to only myself. The amount that may well join is a lot."

Celsetia nodded and added to that as well, "We also have some good instigators and spies who would appreciate being in the Lunar guard since it has and will specialize in that area." After lunch the day progressed as normal, or what was becoming the norm. For Pantheon he had been here a bit over a week now, it was odd for him to think about. Not much of note happened though Celestia did look a bit tired at dinner. Luna went back her her desk like her sister and began to finish reading the laws she had been assigned by Celestia.

She continued to work until a sharp knock peeked her attention, Pantheon walked to the door and opened it to see a solar guard, the stallion paused before being allowed to enter and speak to the waiting princess, "There is a large group of cloaked and mysterious figures at the palace gate, they are requesting to see the 'ruler of the night, and bringer of stars'. The guard is on alert as no one knows how they entered the city or what their motives are. Celestia is being informed as we speak."

Luna and Atreus quickly exchanged looks before following the guard hurriedly to the gate, Celestia had arrived just before her and was talking to the lead pony. The conversation was becoming clearer, "... do you want with my sister?"

As Luna came to stand next to Celestia the crowd fell silent and began to bow at the waist, "Greetings mistress." the lead pony began, a mare in her. "After you returned from your banishment we broke our isolation and traveled to meet you as humble pilgrims. The first to rejoin you of from our villages."

"Who are you? And what do you mean pilgrims, what is meeting me a pilgrimage?" Luna asked confused, and a bit uneasy with at least two hundred cloaked ponies standing outside the gate in perfect rows.

"My name is Shadow Wing, I am the leader chosen by the village heads to lead this pilgrimage, and of course it is a pilgrimage. You are the goddess of the night, long ago our kind were a oppressed and foreign kind to other ponies you took us under your wing and made us your servants, you guided us for many centuries. But when you were banished without your protection we were once again seen as monsters and evil by others. We left before anything could happen, but now that you have returned to us we wish to serve again." as her explanation ended Luna finally understood.

"You are bat ponies." the mare smiled at Luna's statement and took off her cloak, it revealed dark blue hair and yellow silted eyes. Her wings were in fact that of a bat only the size of a pegusus'. Each figure removed their cloaks to reveal somepony with a similar appearance.

"Will you accept us mistress? We have long desired to rejoin larger society but have not seen much reason to believe we would be welcome until now." Luna and Celestia exchanged looks before Luna responded.

"well you are more than welcome to rejoin Equestria, I am not a goddess by the way. Though alicorns are long lived and strong we are not omnipotent or impervious to wounds and death."

"You are still our goddess no matter what you may think. And no matter what thank you for your kindness, your words will keep ponies from attacking us out of fear."

"The massive amount of ponies coming into Equestria may cause some issues however. There may be a lack of jobs for a while, and as much as I hate to say it, my ponies are typically scared of something too new and different. Your people will have a hard time convincing ponies to hire you." Celestia interjected.

"We will serve the princess of the night, we don't have any other goals."

"I don't see how you could serve me thoug- Actually how many of you are warriors?" Luna asked finally realizing what one of the main jobs the batponies took was a thousand years ago.

The mare smiled and proudly spoke, "All of the ponies here are combat capable mistress."

Luna and Celestia suddenly saw a solution to several problems, "Well, would you all like to join the night guard, it was a favorite job among your people in the past. Not every bat pony that comes to Equestria can be a guard but we don't really have any current members. It would also help improve your image in the eyes of the public making it easier for your people to find jobs outside the guard."

"We would be honoured goddess."

"I would prefer if you called me princess. Please all of you come inside we need to get you all out of the street there's a crowd watching." Luna said a bit exited, she was happy to finally have a solution to some problems that had been nagging at her. Before everypony was inside the gate Pantheon moved to her side and spoke to her in a serious tone.

"They do not need a god, they need need a leader," before Luna could respond he continued, "the actions you did for them are admirable, if they saw you as they perfect role model, saint, and guide I would not be taking issue here. You need to make sure they see you as a kind and wonderful but flawed princess. You need to reach as many of them as possible on a personal and deep level, to show them you are not their goddess, but instead their leader, savior, and protector."

"How would that be any different from how they view me now, and I don't think there would be a problem with their view of me so long as they aren't worshiping me." Atreus moved closer and spoke in a harsher but still caring tone.

"If you show them you are worthy of their devotion regardless of if you are a goddess or not, it will end better than if you go along not stopping them for seeing you as one. Once they realize and accept you are not one, there could be many, many issues." Atreus' words were a bit paranoid but Luna valued his input.

"I will do as you ask, I want to be more open and friendly with my servants and subjects anyway." Luna could not help but feel that Pantheon was not going to accept a dismissal, and he did make a valid point. Many would follow her no matter what, but if some took the fact that their beliefs were not true to harshly there would be trouble.

After each of them put there names on record the princess preformed a initiation ceremony for the bat ponies with Pantheon's help in the guard training yard. Afterward she told them they would start training tonight so she could judge their skills herself and see where she needed to train them. As it turned out most of them had natural talent for the night guards work of investigation and espionage. However she would have to make sure to train them properly and hone their instincts.

After Pantheon ran them through some basic drills and movements the princess decided that they would continue this tomorrow morning. It was late in the evening, Celestia had lowered the sun and Luna had slowly raised the moon and stars. Her hair began to show stars of there own, though it was less than half a dozen, Luna was feeling stronger the longer her magic returned. Before the group dispersed however Shadow wing approached Atreus, "So you are our captain, it will be a pleasure serving with you sir." as she saluted and gave Pantheon a serious look.

"I am your senior by three days, not your captain. That position is still available to the best of you, but I am outside of the typical command structure and serve a different purpose." this seemed to catch the attention of many of the near by batponies, they listened closely.

"What is your purpose then?" Shadow Wing asked curious, in a bit more casual tone.

"To act as princess Luna's personal guard, her parole officer, and friend." his words seemed to strike the batponies like ton of bricks.

"You claim to be friends with a goddess, and her parole officer. Her isolation from the world for the last thousand years is more than enough punishment for her one mistake." Shadow's tone was almost hostile at this point.

"I agree," this got the batponies to calm, "her punishment was served and she should not need someone to watch her every move. But there are some voices that call for her to be punished because of her rebellion despite that. I am the response to those opinions. I will appear as her watcher and will seem to make sure she doesn't do anything wrong. But my true job is to make sure she is not so alone that she could fall into darkness again."

"She would never!" "You are a slanderer!" before any further accusations could be leveled at Pantheon bashed his spear to his shield several times.

Luna at this point noticed the circle of batponies around the man and moved to Atreus' side to ask what was happening. Shadow spoke to him and the princess after her kin calmed, "Is this true mistress, is he some sort of watch dog for your sister?"

"My sister has done nothing but give me help and forgivness, fo not accuse her of anything. She is my family and your other princess, as for Pantheon, yes technically. But it was my idea, and he is not somepony you should disrespect."

"I am sorry goddess." Shadow hung her head and many others as well. "I am simply unsure of how he could gain such an honoured position as your personal guard and... friend."

"If you want to know how he is my friend I suggest you try to become his, as for him being my personal guard, he is worthy because of his actions and skills. He helped defeat Nightmare moon and free me from my corrupted self. he is also a gifted warrior." Luna seeing Shadow's and many other frowns asked a question, "Do you need proof of that last one?"

"I would like to make sure you are well protected." Shadow said, this brought many nods and grunts of agreement to many ponies there.

"Very well, seeing as none of you have armor yet, and the smiths have yet to finish any of the night guard equipment. You all won't have an even fight against him, as such I will act as his opponent." this brought several sounds out of the batponies, some exited shouts, other chocks of shock, and a few protests. "All of you move back to the edges of the yard and we will spar." All of them did as requested, even the ones who didn't want her to fight. "I am sorry Pantheon, but you will have to spar with me."

"No, I need to practice, in fact a spar every few days would be wonderful." Luna smiled before Luna flashed her magic, her regalia was covered and replaced by armor of a dark blue hue. She summoned a scythe, the same one she had fought him with before. However, instead of being dark and unsettling it had a calming tone, elegantly smooth surface, and shone in the moonlight.

"Are you ready?" as she asked the question see looked at Atreus. He had his eyes closed, spear and shield held in each hand by his sides. A moment later he opened his eyes and the comet plum blazed to life on his helm. It flowed like Luna's hair, his cape seemed to hold stars on its surface while his weapons began to take a flame on their surface. His face from what she could see was determined.

To say the batponies were shocked by his sudden flare of form was an understatement, Shadow for one suddenly understood why her goddess held him in such high regard, she could feel the magic start to pour from him. It was much like Luna's or her sister, the two of them seemed to have an aura about them. He now had something similar, 'Is..is he a god?' she was horrified at the idea but before she could consider it she heard a shout.

Atreus responded to Luna's question with a shout, "Face me!" at that moment they charged from opposite ends of the impromptu arena.

Author's Note:

A word of warning I know this can be boring to read but not everything can be action. I have to set up the world, work out how to introduce certain plot points, and then write a character's reaction. It can't always be exiting because the show wasn't always an exiting place. Fun maybe, silly sure, but not always action worthy.

Hey guys question, what is the name for batponies again, I think it starts with a t, Thrashels? I don't know couldn't find anything so just decide not to misspell it.

Comments

[crazybee]

Not only do you do some world build and great settings, but you have the gals to slap us with that ending and make us plead for more?!
I applaud you.

[Draskos]

9917879
I spent like a good hour reading up on the empire, Pantheon, and the sun and moon chicks that lived at the sun temple because of the lullaby of the moon song. And there is a LOT of stuff to cover. All the LoL fans I know only ever spoke of pvp so I ignored them but the rest of it actually seems badass so I don't see why people only seem interested in the pvp aspect. Hell I didnt even know there WAS more to the game until reading further into your story and seeing the few links.

[Jamis]

9918511
We lore hermits are in fact a different sect from the rest of the people who play the game, most people are not at all interested in the lore beyond surface level. I mean Jesus you look at the amount of story that goes into this game and I don't blame people who don't know what the watchers are, how the void relates to the darkin, how the celestials relate to the darkin because they relate to the ascended. Or how the shadow isles are cursed and used to be called the blessed isles. There is so much to learn about one area and how they relate to others that its like trying to explain the entire plot of GoT, you can do it but you need to want to listen.

[Archon Priestmane]

Batpony = Thestrel