The Unbroken Spear

by Jamis

22. Surprise to No One

This was it, the gala was tonight. Each pony that was attending was exited, as for the the host herself? She was finishing the last piece of paperwork she had before she had to go and oversee the gala's preparations. It was mid afternoon, and Celestia was looking forward to the party. Though admittedly not for the same reasons as her subjects. She was hoping that her student and her friends would spice up the event.

Most of the galas were simply put, dry, fake, and boring. There were highlights of course, a few choice attendees were lovely to talk to, unfortunately they were a very small minority. As the last paper was placed in the out pile by her magic she moved to get up. Putting her well used pen down with her hand she moved out from her desk and pushed her chair in with her magic. The chair was white with a red cushion, very soft and squishy. It had better be considering the amount of time she had, and had to spend in it. Her desk was one of the non-white things in the room, a light brown and polished desk which was hand carved to be smooth and held lines of uninterrupted flow over the surface.

Celestia used her hands to write, her magic to move the papers, and after a thousand years of doing this was still tired her. 'It must be a mental thing.' she told herself. Making her way out of her office she walked through the halls and down. She found herself at her destination. The hall's decorations and adjustments were mostly complete. The staff were moving around in an almost practiced fashion. Her ponies were each doing a job they were suited for. The pegasusai were placing decorations high on the hall's walls, unicorns and earthponies worked on bringing in tables for food and art displays.

Everpony was doing their part as usual. Celestia's unicorn assistant Raven Inkwell walked up to her with a clipboard and a smile. "Everything is going well princess, we should be ready a long while before even the first guests arrive." she gestured to the hall as her smile widened.

"That is good Raven, keep me informed in the event of something happening" Celestia nodded and began to move to the castle gardens.

"Of course your highness." Raven returned to her own duties. As Celestia walked she breathed in the air, a small breeze blew by filling her lungs with freshness. The flowers and bushes of the gardens were rather famous, each flower was pristine and vibrant. Her gardeners were mostly earth ponies, but some unicorns and pegasusai worked as the ones to groom higher branches or tend to the watering. Earthponies held a connection to the earth that the other tribes didn't. A earthpony could nurture a flower to grow with some care and attention.

Eventually Celestia found herself in front of Discord's statue, she stood in front of it for a little while. She could hardly forget him, he was memorable to say the least. He was posed eyes closed, feet apart, his left arm in the air pointed up, and his right arm over his chest. His face was angular, had a small goatee, and a snaggletooth protruded from his top row. Discord's head held mismatched horns and wild hair which did little to hide his pointed fuzzed ears. His clothes were a patchwork of cloth but seemed to be a suit. Two different wings protruded from his back, a bat wing and a bird wing. Celestia stood in front of his statue for a bit. Or perhaps not his statue, a better term would be, him. He was still the lord of chaos even trapped in stone.

Celestia felt a small sad smile tug at her lips, 'We gave you so many chances, I regret that you denied them.' Celestia walked away from the stone clad draconequus. She turned around to look at him again, before continuing her walk. 'What is that old saying, in another life we could have been friends, I suppose I have lives several already. With you in stone though, it doesn't matter.' she sighed before she saw some of her gardeners and went to greet them.

...

Luna sat in a meeting, she was going over some reforms she had proposed with a focus group. It was boring to say the least, she had a hard time understanding why laws like these existed. Some were about what you could do if you lost property in very specific ways. Others were so broad they could be a utterly dismissed as useless, and some where fine but needed to be simplified. 'Maybe I should have gone to the gala after all, this has to be worse than the disapproving eyes of some nobles.' she quickly returned her attention to a lawyer who was informed on the rulings and previous cases these laws had been used for. This was going to be a boring afternoon, at least the evening was looking to be better. Even if it was just another meeting, it was on developing new guard equipment, an infinity more interesting topic.

...

The elements of harmony were prepping for the gala. Their manes in machines or towels. Spike was banging at the door asking to enter, "Guys! Let me in!"

"Okay Spike, one sec!" Raindow called back as she walked to the door.

"Celestia no! We are getting dressed! Don't let him in." Rarity chastised. Dash held a guilty look for a moment.

"Ah mean we are all still dressed in our clothes. Besides he can leave once we put on our dresses.” AppleJack cut in.

Rarity frowned and her face looked guilty as well, "I suppose so long as we focus on our manes it will be fine. But you have to promise to leave when we ask okay Spiky?" Rarity opened the door as she spoke.

“Sure!” Spike being very young especially by dragon standards only understood the separation of the sexes to a minimum degree. He mostly just wanted to share his excitement with the girls, and he was bored of sitting around outside of the room. “So? Are you all as exited as me, being in my hometown again is gonna be great?! Right Twilight?” the dragons enthusiasm clear as air. “I’ve got a lot to show you guys.” he explained.

“I think we might be a bit busy Spike.” the dragon’s disappointment was almost palpable. “Don’t worry though we’ll spend some time together.” Spike recovered fast after he heard that encouragement. The group eventually finished their preparations and set off. The group of friends boarded and sat on the train to Canterlot. It took a while but after the ride the group walked a short distance to the front entrance of the gala.

“This is gonna be great! And we’ll all spend it together right guys?!” Almost as on queue he saw the group dispurse. Spike who until that moment was leading the group notice that each of his friends had run of in different directions. “Or not,” he paused and sighed, a grumble rumbled from his stomach. “I guess I should find some food before going after them. Well should I, do we have a meeting place I wasn’t told about? I should find Twilight and ask.” The grumble returned loader as if in protest, “But first food, I haven’t eaten dinner.” At that he jogged towards where some tables showed the promise of gourmet snacks.

...

Atreus was walking with some night guards, the patrols didn’t really need his attention but he needed something to do. He had finished his work, Luna was in a meeting, and he didn’t want to go to the gala yet. He had his spear under his cape and shield in hand, his armor shone like the other guards in the streetlights. They walked through the streets as they darkened. Pantheon surveyed the routes as they passed them, the guards behind him insisting on accompanying him. The man allowed it for a few reasons, he was not infallible, even but one good strike from behind could end his life. He didn’t dislike company, he rather enjoyed the presence of others. He only only moved away from them to be a beacon of hope for people, a new Pantheon. As well to better keep his vow against great powers and the like. But the last reason was simple, he was patrolling as much as he was supervising patrols. The extra eyes could and would most likely prove of great use.

“Sir,” a night guard flew up to the group, “there has been a robbery several blocks away, a jewelry store.”

Atreus looked at the guard before speaking, “Are you in need of reinforcements? Why are you bringing this to my attention instead of helping catch the thieves?” The tone of his voice was not harsh, in fact one could hear only slight confusion in it, that and mild concern.

The stallion shook his head, “No they have already been caught, but protocol dictates we report to the highest rank officer near by. The-“

The thestral stallion stood and ceased to speak at Pantheon raising his hand to halt him, “If I am not mistaken that was only if the officers were rather close by to one another, you report to the highest ranked one first in order for them to hear it before others, so it need not travel between too many mouths. Is your Sargent on the other side of the city?”

“Uh, no sir he was to be informed by another guard. But we-“ again he was silenced by a quite gesture of the hand from Atreus.

He smiled to reassure the guard, he was beginning to look nervous, “He would file a report to his superior after the night is over, and tell them they met. If I wanted an update on whether or not something like that had happened, I would get it when I next saw a officer or even another guard patrol.” the guard despite Pantheon’s efforts at a smile looked dejected, if only because he was being lectured to by a officer. While Pantheon technically didn’t have a rank title he was considered at the same level of Captain Shadow Wing, maybe even higher considering he joined first and constantly accompanied the princess. “I am glad you told me but I would have found out eventually, you may want to get back to your patrol private..?”

“Private third class Night Gazer sir.” Night answered the empty space Atreus left open, the night guard saluted and stood at attention before he waited.

Atreus nodded, “If you and your fellow guards receive a talk from your officers on proper protocol let me know. There is only so much a officer should rant about in one sitting, too much and they’ll break their men.You may return now private Gazer.“ another salute before the stallion flew off.

One of the two guards behind him spoke, “I doubt their Sargent will be upset at their actions to rant sir.”

“I have to agree,” the other spoke up, “If their officer wastes more than a few sentences on that subject he may get in trouble for wasting time.”

“Depends,” Atreus and his two guard companions resumed their route, “maybe this isn’t the first time they have misread protocol or rules.”

...

Spike found Twilight and talked to her about meeting up, she hadn’t set a common point to meet again. Though the idea of Twilight of all ponies not have a plan for everything seemed off. They had to meet again but that was at the back of her mind. She tried to spend time with her teacher, but Celestia had a long line of guest to greet. Spike had given up on trying to convince Twilight that Celestia may be there all night and that the line would not subside. He decided to try elsewhere. The small boy moved through the party, he came across a few of his friends. All in their own conversations and worlds it seemed. Unfortunately he had yet to find Rarity, much to his disappointment. Just when he was about to give up on this party and go to Pony Joe’s he saw something that caught his attention. Outside of the hall he saw dark armored ponies with batwings and slitted eyes. Just as he was about to freak out he saw something else. The bat ponies nodded to a guard in typical golden armor, the guard nodded back and the dark armored ponies walked by out of sight.

Spike jogged up to the guard and asked, “Who were those guys, they looked scary?” Spikes tone more inquisitive than frightened.

The guard regarded the small boy. He wonder who Spike was before realizing the captain’s sister had an assistant baby dragon. “Ah, I forget that sometimes the world isn’t Canterlot. Those guys were night guards. Princess Luna’s guards.”

Spike titled his head in confusion, “Why would she need her own guard, and what was with their wings and eyes?”

“Well,” the solar guard felt a bit awkward, he was playing twenty questions it seemed, “they are traditionally the ones to take the nightshift, but the night guard disbanded due to Nightmare moon’s rebellion. However, now that the princess has returned, she brought the night guard back. They have been taking on the nightshifts in Canterlot, the only solar guards on duty right now are in this hall.”

“Still doesn’t explain the wings and eyes.” Spike pointed out.

“They’re batponies,” he paused, “most of em anyway. When Luna came back they left hiding and bam, most of the ones in Canterlot are part of the night guard.” Spikes eyes bulged at the guard’s words he was about to speak before the guard cut him off, “Hey now I know they are different but, I’ve been doing some drills with a few of them and they are nice enough. Good taste in liquor too.” the guard’s last sentence was quieter so as not to offend young ears. Spike took on a confused look.

“Oh, well how come I haven’t heard about it. Even if I have been in Ponyville we should have heard about something like this.” the guard shrugged.

“I don’t know kid, maybe you should talk to one of them if you want to know more.” the solar guard spoke in an earnest tone. He turned his head away once it seemed that the dragon was deep in thought.

Spike slowly nodded and walked out of the hall, he was curious and committed to searching for answers at this point. He walked for a few minutes before he spotted a few night guards entering the castle grounds from the side gates. At the front was a tall earthpony he wore both golden and dark armors. He seemed familiar, then it dawned on Spike. He was the guy who helped Twilight and the girls fight Nightmare moon. Spike only saw him when he woke up and he stood with the princesses. ‘What was his name again, Atries? Etrays? Better introduce myself I guess, not much else to do.’

Author's Note:

The only instance where ponies pulling a carriage makes sense is a cart of goods. I’m going to just make the assumption that with trains existing, there is no reason to use a carriage to get to Canterlot. I also skipped the song cause, it hurts me physically for them just break into song.

I watch episodes in order to see what happens in the show, gonna be honest. Nothing makes want to commit toast bath more watching a kids show. At least early mlp that is.

Good message but I still find it hard to watch, and kind of grating. Oh btw hope you don’t mind my changing of the story with Spike, but I find it hard to believe he just left to Joe’s after being abandoned.

Sorry for not writing, school and laziness back at it again.

Comments

[Unshackled_Unbroken]

Ever tried using pantheon as a farm? I tried it and it was awsome!

[Jamis]

9964521
What? You wording confuses me. Are you asking whether I think Pantheon would be a good farmer? Or something else?

[Unshackled_Unbroken]

9964535
In my country, farm means jungler, and I jungle with pantheon, by using a different set.

[Jamis]

9965720
Same, i use him when i get autofilled jungle.