Guardian

by Xrevias

Chapter 8 - Emergence

“Are we ready?”

Lotus Mist stood in a warehouse. Littered around her were boxes and other items that weren’t of her concern. Metal rafters above them supported the roof, and a large table was in the center of it all. She sat down on a chair, different plans and blueprints laid about on the table. This was where they planned their attack.

“If we’re fortunate, the Royal Guard believed the entire ‘next full moon’ charade.” Quick Clean held a knife in his wings.

“They haven’t suspected anything to be happening,” Rock Steady added.

Lotus nodded. “This is happening tonight, whether we are opposed or not.”

The two stallions stood up as they faced a small crowd of ponies gathered in the warehouse. Each one wore a black-colored raincoat, a way to conceal themselves in the shadows of the night.

Quick and Rock pulled up their hoods as the three faced the crowd. Lotus following their motion. The crowd responded with them donning their own hoods.

“The potions are ready, the plan is set, all that’s left is to put it to the test,” Lotus said to the crowd who murmured their agreement.

“Close Ward!” she called out.

The unicorn walked from the crowd and said, “I have given each team their ‘primers.’ We’re ready.”

Lotus nodded. “The night is young but not for long. Our time is now... we shall make them bow.”

~~~

A few hours earlier…

Golden Dusk had just finished his first night as Princess Luna’s butler. The scuffle between him with the Hollow Shade guards was unexpected, yes, but everything else went off without a hitch. The Duke and Luna discussed the reintegration of thestrals in Canterlot. Thestrals appearing in other places in Equestria were met with little to no refute, yet the nobility of Canterlot seemed to refuse.

Dusk was appalled by the information. As if the discrimination wasn’t bad already…

Scarlet Gem’s first day was rather draining for her. She had worked in professional kitchens before, but it was a completely different experience. Each portion of food was so meticulously measured, the silverware was handled with care, and the amount they had to prepare? It was more than she was used to.

Her schedule was figured out at least. She would be working three days of the week, while another chef covers the last four. The higher-ups wanted to lighten the workload of the pony she was rotating with. She insisted on taking the four days instead, but the other chef was stubborn.

The two decided to use their freetime to grab some late-lunch at the Meadow Blossom. The sun looked just about ready to set.

Scarlet heard from Orchid that their old/new manager was fired after the owner heard of his behavior. The owner could not refute information given by the guard.

Golden Dusk sat down in one of the tables that had sofas for seats. They were super comfy! Scarlet Gem sat opposite to him, both awaiting their orders.

“So, how was your first day? We didn't really get into detail.” Dusk inquired.

Scarlet put down a glass of water she held. “Tedious,” she responded. “We had to cook for so many ponies and Princess Celestia’s ‘special meals,’” she giggled.

Dusk whistled. “How about the dishes?”

“You don’t wanna know.”

“... that bad?”

“Yep.”

The pair chuckled and Scarlet asked, “How was your first night on the job?”

He let out a fake laugh. “Eventful.”

“How so?”

Dusk gave her a deadpan stare. “Luna made me fight a group of well-trained guards for no reason. Oh! She also tormented me to no end, so yeah, pretty good first day— night.”

“Aw, couldn’t handle a little action?” she smirked.

“Well, when it’s clearly for her amusement…” he sighed. “It’s fine, I got to exercise.”

“Which you so dearly needed,” she teased.

Dusk huffed. “I do not eat that much!”

“Your orders,” Orchid suddenly said.

She levitated onto the table a plate for Scarlet and about three for Dusk. Once they’ve said their thanks, Orchid left them to eat. Scarlet glanced at all three plates opposite to her, then flatly stared at Dusk. His response was to sheepishly smile and look away.

“You were saying?” Scarlet raised a brow, holding back her mirth.

He coughed into his hoof. “I may have... tendencies to eat more than I should…”

She started laughing and Dusk just grumbled and helped himself to his food. He noticed Orchid whispering to one of her colleagues, sparing glances his way every now and then. He shrugged and looked to Scarlet who wiped a tear from her eye.

“That… is the understatement of the day,” she chuckled, panting slightly from her fit.

“Kay,” Dusk mumbled through a spoonful of food, to her amusement.

He didn’t really mind her occasional teasing, he usually gets back at her anyway. Besides, seeing her smile was more than enough.

Scarlet helped herself to her food and added, “So, how’d the whole ‘I had to fight some guards’ thing work out?”

He swallowed. “Six guards, one formation, had to break through it,” he stated simply.

“Let me guess, you shot them with magic,” she deadpanned.

“I gave them a show,” he shrugged. “It would be… against my interest if I just used long-ranged attacks.”

She raised a brow. “Why?” He doesn’t really go for direct engagements.

Dusk rolled his eyes. “Duke’s son was arrogant and said that I wasn’t ‘worthy’ of being Luna’s butler.” He took a sip of water. “So, I shut him up.”

Scarlet actually looked shocked. “That’s… kind of unlike you.”

He shrugged again. “Luna started the whole thing, I went along with it.”

“Now that makes more sense.”

She was about to put a fork of food in her mouth, but she nearly dropped it when she saw that Dusk had already finished two plates. She gawked and stared at him. He responded by giving her an innocent smile.

“Hm?”

She sighed and mumbled, “Nothing.”

He tilted his head but dropped it nonetheless. They two halted their conversation as they enjoyed their meals.

Scarlet spared conservative glances at Dusk. She remembered the suit he’d worn last night. It gave her quite the view. He doesn’t seem like the type to wear or even look good in formal wear, but she was proved wrong. Sure, he looked more like a mare, but wearing a suit brought out his stallion features. His build was smaller than any stallions, yet him wearing the hoodie under it made him look even a little bigger. She swore that she could just get lost in the gold sea that is his eyes…

She stopped her glances and focused on her food. A blush adorned her cheeks.

Golden Dusk ate at a much calmer pace now, his mind overrun by thoughts. The Purifiers still worried him. Yes, their name could have used something more original, but that doesn’t reduce the potential threat they could be. The next full moon would be in a few weeks, so they’d have time to prepare.

He sipped on his glass as his mind wandered elsewhere. While Scarlet was much more confident than him, she didn’t let confidence turn into arrogance. He wished he could be more like that. He’d always avoided getting into fights, even in missions, and tries to stay out of any sort of conflict. Unless it’s in a controlled environment, he won’t start anything.

Dusk’s train of thought’s path altered. It chugged down a completely different route now! Scarlet’s confidence was inspiring to him. He looked up to her, she was great in so many ways. While her confidence sometimes leads to recklessness, ponies make mistakes, right?

Not to mention her she always held herself in some poise. Not in an arrogant way, no, but as an underlying thing. The way she moves around the kitchen, to how she maneuvers when she walks. It was always so graceful! And when she’s flying? Even if it’s just slightly above ground-level? The light reflected from her eyes was just jaw-dropping.

He avoided making eye-contact with her and looked down on his food, a pinkish hue to his silver cheeks. Was he that smitten?

He sighed internally. He’d figure this out when the recent threat is taken care of.

“Your dessert,” Orchid said, floating a small tray behind her.

Dusk jumped slightly. Was she doing this on purpose?

“Wait, we didn’t order dessert,” Scarlet said, confused.

Orchid levitated two plates onto the table. “Thanks to you two, we’re in proper working order again. This is our way of saying thanks.”

The pair thought about it for a moment. They looked at each other and sighed, Orchid would just insist on it.

“Thank you,” Dusk said first.

“And thank you.”

Orchid left them again, having done her part.

“Well… that’s the second time this week,” Dusk chuckled.

Scarlet shrugged. “Free food?”

“Free food.”

They helped themselves to the dessert. It was really good!

“So, you’re going to work after this?” Scarlet inquired.

“Too early, will work later.”

She giggled. “What’re you gonna do then?”

He swallowed. “Park?”

“Sure!”

~~~

After lunch, Dusk and Scarlet went to the Lunar Park. They spent their time enjoying the fresh air and the sights. The last time they were they it was... more for business.

The sunset left only the sun’s rays in view. A cool breeze blew past them as they sat on a bench. Their manes swayed slightly in the wind. Both of their eyes sparkled, watching the foals play. The laughter of young ponies, the clopping of their hooves along the grass, and the smiles on their faces as they played warmed everypony’s hearts.

Dusk too was affected by this. His friend — that he is totally not infatuated with — sat to his left, and having her there was a plus.

Scarlet spread her wings slightly to let them feel the breeze. She closed her eyes and focused her senses on that. She hasn’t flown recently. Whenever she was with Dusk, she’d stay on the ground to be with him. Not to mention, she can’t fly around a kitchen!

Maybe she’d take a short flight home once Dusk got to work.

Said stallion stood up and stretched a hind leg. “I could use a walk,” he told her. “You up for it?”

She rolled her eyes. “With what you ate earlier, you definitely need it!” she mused.

Dusk groaned and started to walk along a stone path. Scarlet giggled and followed.

They trotted and followed the line of concrete. They passed by a small lake and saw fishes swimming around, and ducks paddling along its surface. The clear, blue water reflected the surrounding greenery and ponies perfectly. They saw a few couples sitting on picnic blankets, enjoying their time together.

How they both wished that could be them.

Dusk walked a little slower as they entered some foliage. The trees’ leaves were so thick, only a few beams of sunlight could pass through. Birds flew above them while others stayed in their nests. Scarlet spotted an owl’s den, and some other places where nocturnal animals would rest in the day.

Despite being a Lunar Park, it was still beautiful under the sun.

Golden Dusk looked right and made a sudden turn. He pushed past some bushes and continued to walk. Scarlet wondered what he was doing but followed either way.

She pushed through some bushes and branches. She tumbled when she found herself out of the foliage, and her eyes were blinded by sunlight. She reflexively covered them, and once they adjusted, she found herself in a patch of flowers.

Dusk was walking around and was admiring each one. He sometimes ran his hoof along the flowers. Scarlet looked around and saw butterflies flying, bees buzzing by, and a few other ponies too.

She saw Golden Dusk walk towards her with his horn aglow. She was sitting down on a bed of flowers as he approached.

From behind him, a scarlet-colored flower floated in front of him. Scarlet looked taken aback, and he gestured to the side of her head.

“May I?” he stammered, a blush on his cheeks.

Scarlet nodded with a grin. She didn’t notice the blood that crept to her face.

He gently levitated the flower and used his hooves to tuck it behind her ear. He took a step back and looked at Scarlet.

“Wow...” he thought. The flower matched her eyes perfectly, and the radiant smile on her face completed everything.

Scarlet smirked and used her wings to control some wind. Slowly, a daffodil flew to Dusk’s head and landed perfectly behind one of his ears. The blush on his face grew deeper, but he tucked it in properly.

“Adorable.” That’s what all Scarlet could think.

Stallions rarely went with wearing flowers behind their ears. Golden Dusk was the exception.

They stared at each other for a few moments. A tingling sensation in their stomachs grew stronger and stronger. Their hearts started to beat faster.

Scarlet’s face had a pink hue to it. Dusk, on the other hoof, had a much deeper color of red. They heard the birds chirping their songs, and the added sound of the wind blowing.

Some unknown force told them to do something. Slowly, they inched closer to each other. Something about each other’s eyes just... hypnotized them.

They got close to the point that their muzzles were almost touching. They could even feel each other’s breaths!

Like inertia, the two kept moving closer. Their muzzles almost touching, the two—

“Aw!”

They broke out of their daze and looked to their side. The pair saw a foal who had their mouth covered by the hoof of an older mare. The mare flashed them a sheepish smile and ushered the foal away.

Slowly, Golden Dusk and Scarlet Gem turned their heads. Their gazes met, and they held it for a few seconds. Once they realized how close their muzzles were, they stumbled backwards.

“Uh…” Dusk looked anywhere but her eyes. He fell on his haunches.

Scarlet coughed. “Well… that was…”

“Weird?” he offered.

She rolled her eyes. “Let’s go with, odd.”

Dusk gave a nervous laugh and stood up. “C’mon, I still have work.”

She stood on four legs as well. “Are we… going to talk about… whatever that was?” she asked.

He paused in his step and replied, “M-maybe… but not right now…”

Her heart sank. Just when she thought she was getting somewhere…

He coughed lightly. “I promise we will.”

Scarlet looked up and gave him a soft, yet sad smile.

~~~

After the entire… fiasco at the park. Golden Dusk and Scarlet Gem made their way to Dusk’s home. The sun started to set, and the moon and stars slowly revealed themselves. They kept their flowers in their respective magic storages.

The two were silent for most of the trip. A few awkward conversations here and there, but Scarlet was acting different.

“Uh, who did you say was the head chef?” Dusk inquired. They were talking about their jobs.

“Royal Palette,” Scarlet replied, uninterested.

He internally gulped. “The one from all those fancy magazines?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, you sure are lucky then, huh?” he said.

“Mhm.” She was looking straight ahead, emotionless.

Dusk mentally facehooved. Did he do something that bad? Sure, he said that they wouldn’t talk about… it, well not right now at least. He needed to ready himself if they were going to.

Scarlet sighed rather loudly. Dusk glanced at her but kept walking silently. She could barely feel anything right now. With how he seemed so uncomfortable about what happened.

They eventually reached his humble abode. Scarlet stayed by the door, leaning on the frame bipedally with her forelegs crossed. Dusk went up the stairs and into his room. He approached his closest and glanced at his desk. Specifically, at its drawer. He sighed and opened the closest, pulling out the suit. He put it on and went back down.

When he went back down, he didn’t go straight for the door, to Scarlet’s surprise. He instead went to the kitchen and pulled out a small ceramic water container. He let the faucet run, as he let a small amount of water into it. He placed it on the living room’s coffee table, and his horn glowed. The daffodil that she gave him appeared, and he placed it into the container.

“Hopefully she’ll see this as a sign…” he thought.

Dusk smiled as he neared the door, Scarlet had a far-away look in her eyes. She stood on four hooves to follow.

The moon and stars were completely visible now. There was still some light left from the sun, but it was really dim. It looked like it was an extremely rainy day, but darker.

Scarlet walked onto the sidewalk as Dusk locked the door with his key. She didn’t feel like going with him now. She wanted to wallow in her sadness. Dusk approached her, suit looking sharp.

“Do I look okay?” he asked, adjusting his suit.

“Yeah, don’t worry about it—”

The ground suddenly shook, sounds of explosions resounding throughout Canterlot. Ponies screamed and ran for their homes. Scarlet took off, and Dusk climbed to the top of his house. Jumping onto different segments, he reached the top and looked off into the distance.

He didn’t even need his night-vision. He saw at least six different buildings glowing brightly and emitting smoke. Scarlet saw the same thing. They both went back down onto the sidewalk, though Scarlet was more graceful.

“Castle!” Scarlet shouted and started to gallop, getting ready to take off.

She stopped when Dusk held her by a hoof with magic. She turned around to face him.

“Gem, I need you right now,” he said softly. “What happened at the park… we’ll talk about it later.” He looked up at her with a hopeful smile. “Right now, I need my ever-treasured friend with me.”

She looked at him for a few moments. She sighed and smiled. “Is that why you call me ‘Gem?’ Cuz I’m your ‘treasure?’”

Dusk flushed red and bellowed, “Teasing later, saving Canterlot now!”

“Sure.” She rolled her eyes as she took off.

Scarlet flew close to the ground, making sure that nopony was injured. Dusk barely kept up with her with body-enhancement magic.

They reached the castle gates. There were guards stationed outside, almost like an army. Different squads — from both the Celestial and Lunar Guards — were being sent out to the different explosion sights. Opposite to them, they saw Shining Armor and Princess Cadence bolting for the gates. The two picked up their pace in hopes of meeting up with them.

A squad of guards saluted their former-captain as the couple slowed their pace. Scarlet and Dusk approached and flashed their badges. The guards saluted as well as the four entered the castle at the same time, a light run in their pace.

“Captain, princess,” the Specialists said.

“Golden Dusk, Scarlet Gem,” Shining Armor replied.

Princess Cadence looked at them to reply, but her eyes widened instead. Slowly, her look of shock grew into a knowing smirk.

“Throne room, ponies?” The pink princess asked.

The other three nodded as they ran down the castle hallways. The Lunar Guards were on high alert, spears drawn and ready to defend the palace.

They barged into the throne room, the two guards that were stationed outside the door looked confused. The four saw Luna and Nightingale sitting calmly. The aide was scribbling down things on a scroll, while Luna looked outside the window.

The night princess looked to the four. “A total of seven explosions, all occurred in the residences of nobles.”

Shining Armor stepped forward. “What do we do?”

“You are staying here with me and my aunties,” Cadence said, to his disappointment. “You’re a prince now, we need you here.”

“Guess I’ll help plan,” he muttered.

Shining Armor and Princess Cadence went to sit beside Luna on the side of her throne. The night princess looked to the Guardians in front of her.

“Hunter, you are to visit the different sights of explosions. Valkyrie shall assist you,” Luna stated.

“Pretty vague, if you ask me,” Dusk murmured.

“I can hear you, Hunter!”

“Yes, princess!” He bowed so low, his head almost hit the ground.

Scarlet chuckled, their antics kept everypony in the room calm.

“Princess, intruders!” The throne room guard barged in before getting knocked on the back of the head. He collapsed onto the floor.

A group of ten hooded ponies calmly walked in the room. To the royalties’ surprise, they didn’t look nervous at all. They sensed confidence, almost to the point of arrogance.

That wasn’t all, Dusk could sense strong magic emanating from them. It wasn’t natural…

One of them walked forward. “Princess, we’ve come to bargain.”

Luna scoffed. “And what makes thee believe that negotiations are possible?”

They smiled. “We have a select number of ponies you may want… alive.”

Almost immediately, each and every single Purifier in the room faltered in their stance. They all looked up to see different colored glowing eyes. Princess Luna’s and Cadence glowed with anger, the Captain’s similar to theirs. Golden Dusk and Scarlet Gem’s glowed, though emotionless.

“I-I think this was a bad idea…” one of them whined.

“We will follow through,” their, presumably, squad leader said. “Our powers combined should be enough to stop them.”

They dropped their hoods and revealed their horns.

The leader smirked. “We are still open to negotiations, princesses.”

Luna’s glare died down and she sighed. “What is it that you want?”

“The abolishment of the noble houses,” one of them nodded. “And a system wherein we get to decide whoever rules over us.”

She hummed for a moment and answered, “Unfortunately, I cannot allow either of those.”

Their horns flared. “I suppose we’ll do it ourselves then.”

Suddenly, they began to compress an extremely large amount of magic together. A giant sphere formed above the group.

Luna’s, Cadence’s, and Shining Armor’s horn blazed with magic. They formed a prismatic barrier around them, including the Guardians.

A flash of white went off outside the bubble, and a unicorn wearing blue and white armor appeared. Dusk and Scarlet smirked as a purple glow appeared through the unicorn’s helmet.

All of a sudden, the sphere of magic the Purifiers had gathered disappeared. They all looked at each other in panic and attempted the spell again. None of them found themselves able to use their magic!

Their heads turned to face the armored pony. The purple glow remained and pierced their very soul. One of them looked past the unicorn, to see that the butler and the pegasus had disappeared.

“Guys! The butler and the—”

The one who called out to them was knocked out by a shot of magic. They all turned to look behind them and saw nopony. Four of them had small tornadoes form underneath them, and they were slammed into a pillar.

The five that remained panicked and attempted to shield themselves. Their magic still not working, they bolted for the door. Dusk walked out from behind a pillar calmly, a fanged smirk on his face. He fired off two spells that chained into all five ponies, paralyzed them, and put them to sleep. He looked to the unicorn in blue armor with his now-slitted eyes.

“Good work,” the unicorn in armor commended.

“Nicely done, Warlock,” Luna said.

Mythic Moon’s helmet opened and they could see her face. The purple glow from her eyes were gone. It was back to its normal shade of white.

“Where’s ‘Tia?” she asked.

“In her quarters.”

Mythic nodded and her horn glowed. Two flashes brought a pair of armor sets into existence. One was Dusk’s, and the scarlet-colored one was… well, Scarlet’s. Nothing much changed from the original design of Dusk's armor.

Strangely enough, they were sent in standing bipedally.

“You two remember that movie from the other side of the mirror with the guy named ‘Tony Stank’ or something, right?” Mythic asked.

The two nodded and chuckled at the memory.

“Use your key spells.”

Dusk’s horn glowed, and Scarlet’s necklace emitted a similar one. The two sets of armor hissed, and the back completely opened up. They could just equip it by walking into it!

Mythic gave them a smile. “I’ll tell you guys how it works later. For now...” Her horn blazed. “I’m coming ‘Tia!”

Mythic Moon, the Warlock, disappeared.

Scarlet and Dusk stood on two legs as they let their bodies become one with the armor. They stepped in and let gravity do its thing. The two dropped onto all fours, and the armor slowly closed up on them.

Golden Dusk stretched his legs and turned to Luna and Cadence. “Mind firing a spell or two at me?”

The two princesses looked at each other and shrugged. Two beams of magic melded together into one as it hit Dusk. The yellow running along his armor glowed a subtle blueish-green aura.

“Thanks,” Dusk smiled.

Scarlet flexed her wings. “The wing plates are great!”

“Alright, Guardians, new toys aside, I believe you have a city to save.” Luna flicked her head to the window.

The Hunter and Valkyrie nodded. Now that they were both armored-up, they galloped and flew respectively out the throne room.

~~~

Mythic Moon stood in a small hallway. About five paralyzed, but still conscious, Purifiers were tied up in a bundle of magic. She knocked on the door to Princess Celestia’s bedroom. The door opened slowly, and the princess poked her head through.

“That would explain why none of them entered,” she muttered.

“Um, what?” Mythic asked.

Celestia cooed. “Oh, Warlock, they attempted to invade our castle and caused disorder within my city? Possibly harming hundreds of my little ponies?” She took a step out the door, her smile growing darker and darker. She leaned in close to the bundle of criminals.

“I would love nothing more than a moment with these ones… away from prying eyes...”

The five failed-invader’s eyes widened as they all simultaneously passed out.

Celestia’s dark smile and glowing eyes disappeared quickly.

“Well, that’s that. Throw them in the dungeon please! I need to check on my sister,” the princess chippered as she teleported away.

Mythic Moon, underneath her armor, had eyes as wide as plates, and sweat dripping down her form.

“That… was a first…”