Rare Gems Embracing Shadows

Chapters

Chapter 1: More Than She Bargained For
Chapter 2: Learning Of the Past
Chapter 3: A Recovery, a Royal Dinner, and Sketchy Plans
Chapter 4: The Challenges of Going Home
Chapter 5: Three Contests and Three Hearts
Epilogue: Successes, Parties, and Princesses

Chapter 1: More Than She Bargained For

Rare Gems Embracing Shadows

Chapter 1: More Than She Bargained For

Rare Gems Embracing Shadows

Chapter 1: More Than She Bargained For

A ragged appearing pony made his way into the store and up to the counter. The proprietor took one look at the pony and smiled. “Haven’t seen you in a while, what have you got for old Glittering Stone today?”

The rough pony grinned. “I think you’ll like these.” He pulled a bag from under his cloak and poured out its contents.

Stone whistled, as he looked over the goods. Finely worked strips of silver, loose precious stones, and jewels set in finely wrought settings littered the wooden surface of the counter. “Where did you find these? You didn’t do anything inappropriate to get them, did you?”

The pony snorted in response. “My name might be Shady Deal, but I have never stolen a thing in my life. Remember when our beloved king bought it?”

Stone nodded a cold glint in his eyes. “Oh yes. I can’t say that I was upset to see him torn to shreds.” He began examining the items in detail, noting that they were of even finer quality than he had first thought.

“Well, when he went, I noticed that some bits were thrown out of town. Our dear king always liked adorning himself with fancy gems. With a little detective work, and some digging in the snow, I found them.”

Stone slowly looked up from the piece he had been scrutinizing. He lowered the jeweler’s loop he had been looking through, and nervously wet his lips with his tongue. “You’re telling me that these are some of Sombra’s gems?”

“Don’t act like that. He’s dead and gone. We both saw it. He won’t be coming back for these, and leaving them out in the snow would be such a waste.”

Stone leaned back from the counter, still hesitant to handle things related to Sombra. “Shady, I just don’t know about this. I can turn just about any deal when it comes to gems, but this might be one I want no part of, even if I could make a tidy profit from it.”

Shady grunted. “I thought you might say something like that. What if I add a little something to sweeten the deal?” He pulled out a smaller pouch, and slowly poured the contents out. A cascade of fine, red sand formed a dune shaped pile, and then, with an impact that made Stone jump back, a stone fell onto the red pile.

Stone whispered in awe, “By Cadence’s mane. Is that what I think it is?” He looked the brilliant red stone over, not daring to touch it. At first blush, it seemed like a particularly large and fine specimen of a ruby. However, upon closer examination, a faint, pulsing light could be seen in its facets.

“If you’re thinking it’s the core from Sombra’s horn, you’d be right. I found the horn, and when I picked it up, it turned into that sand, all but the core. I was lucky not to touch the thing when the horn fell apart. You want the pretty little pieces? Then you’ve got to buy this too.”

“I can’t, Shady. Everypony in the Crystal Empire would recognize this on sight.”

“Then don’t sell it here!” Frustrated at the dealer’s reluctance, Shady’s voice began to rise. “It’s been months since the Empire returned to Equestria! I know you! You have to have made some connection outside this kingdom!”

Stone raised his hoof, silencing Shady. He held it there for a moment, and then bobbed it up and down slightly, pointing at Shady, as he thought of something. “You’re right. Not too long after Sombra was defeated, a pretty mare came in and bought a bunch of my loose gems. She said that that having gems from the Crystal Empire would give her designs a little something extra.”

Shady grinned widely, showing that he was missing a couple of teeth. “You wouldn’t happen to still have that mare’s name?”

While Stone’s grin was not as large, and had more teeth, it was clear that he liked where the conversation was going. “I have more than that. I have her address.”

“You think she would be very interested in these?”

“I’m sure of it.”

“Well then, my friend, if your price is right, I think we have a deal.” Shady carefully put the core back in its bag, making certain not to touch it, leaving the sand on the counter.

Stone raised an eyebrow, noting that Shady would not touch the core.

Shady smiled. “Better to be cautious when it’s not necessary, than be proven a fool.”

*****

Rarity paused in her work, at the sound of somepony knocking on the shop’s door. She put down the bolt of cloth she had been looking over, and went to open the door. She was slightly irked, since the shop’s sign had turned to announce that her business was open. Her mood lifted, when she saw who was standing outside. “Derpy, dear, how are you today?”

The grey mare smiled. “Just fine, Miss Rarity. I’ve got a package for you, sent all the way from the Crystal Empire. I took good care of it for you.”

“Thank you darling, let me sign for it and I’ll take it off your hooves.” Rarity quickly filled out the couple of sheets of paperwork and handed them back to Derpy. “Thank you again, I’ve been looking forward to this for a couple of weeks.”

Derpy grinned. “That’s what makes my job great. I get to see all the happy faces when ponies get their packages. You take care!” With a couple of flaps of her wings, she was gone.

Rarity gave a muted, yet excited, squeal as she levitated the box in and shut the door. “Let’s see what I got. Stone’s description of the gems was almost too good to be true, especially at the price he quoted.”

She pulled out a cushioned tray for the gems, opened the box, and removed the gems from the larger pouch. “These are nice, but I don’t see the gem I was really looking for. He made it sound like a natural wonder.” She peered back into the box, and noticed the smaller pouch. “That must be it.”

She levitated the pouch, and was impressed by weight of its contents. “If this is a single gem, it must be enormous.” She pulled out another cushioned display tray, and upended the pouch. She gasped when she saw the gem. “Stone, you were right! This is a marvel.” She retrieved her set of calipers, and measured the gem’s dimensions. “Exactly the measurements he gave. It’s simply gorgeous! Oh Rarity, this gem is going to make your design perfect.”

She had started to create the garment that she thought would have suited the gem, as it had been described to her. While it did not consist of much more than the neck piece and a crude pining job, at that point, she could not wait to set the stone to see how she could change the design to suit the gem. She lifted the gem with her magic and headed back into her workroom. She noticed that she felt slightly dizzy, as she made her way. By the time she reached the workroom, and set the gem in its place, on the neck piece adorning the mannequin, she was all but swaying on her hooves. She magically let go of the gem, and after a couple of moments, her equilibrium returned.

She took a deep breath to steady herself. “That was odd. I guess I got a little too excited over that gem, or maybe I’ve been doing too much without a break.” She looked over at where the gem set, and made a disapproving noise. “That just won’t do. For such a gem, I will have to create a magnificent piece. That gem makes my current design look plain, and I just can’t have that.”

Rarity began pulling out the materials she would need to start a new design. She hummed, as she let her ideas flow onto the paper. After a couple of minutes, she felt something was off. She turned towards the mannequin, for reasons she could not explain, and waited. She watched carefully, and right before she was about to turn back, she saw the figure move. She laughed, trying to convince herself she had been wrong. “Rarity, you’ve clearly worked yourself too hard again. You’re seeing things. You need to go to the spa, relax, and then catch up on your sleep.”

As if signaled by her words, the mannequin began to thrash around violently. It fell from its stand, and in a jumble of legs, body, and tail, began to try run. It tripped over itself and careened headlong into a wall at a painful speed. It picked itself up, and frantically began to feel it’s way around the room, knocking over other mannequins, supplies, and designs from their rightful places.

Rarity, in a perfectly understandable response, ran to the other side of the room and screamed as if she were being murdered. The thing did not even turn its head at the sound, and she realized it could neither see nor hear. After taking a moment to calm down, and seeing that the thing was probably more terrified of the situation than she was, she gently wrapped it in her magic and lifted it to the center of the room, where it could not hurt itself or anything else.

For a few moment’s it thrashed around, but gave up its struggles as it realized that it was trapped. She cautiously lowered her captive, and took one of its hooves with her own. The thing recoiled, trying to free itself from the touch, but could go nowhere. As if sensing that Rarity’s touch did not mean any harm, it seemed to calm down, and she lowered it to the floor. She lay down, facing the distraught form, and touched its cheek. “I know you can’t hear me, but please understand I want to help.”

There was a crash, as somepony burst into her shop. “Rares, where are you?! I heard you scream all the way down the street, are you alright?!”

Rarity turned towards the voice. “Rainbow, I’m in my workroom!”

Rainbow appeared in the doorway, and looked around at the disaster that the room had become. “Jeeze Rarity, getting frustrated is one thing, but this is…” Rainbow stopped what she was saying, and her eyes widened as she watched the mannequin reach up and put its hoof over Rarity’s.

Rarity looked up at Dash. “Rainbow, I need you to go get Twilight. There is something magical happening here.”

Rainbow swiftly nodded. “I’ll be back in ten seconds flat.”

Rarity began to stroke thing’s face. As she did so, it kept hold of her other hoof. “It’s going to be alright. I’m right here, and nothing is going to hurt you.”

There was a flash of purple light, and Twilight stood in the doorway. “Rarity, are you alright? Rainbow said there was some kind of monster in your shop.”

Rarity barely looked away from her former mannequin, as she answered, “I don’t think it’s a monster. It’s almost like a pony was trapped in my mannequin.”

Twilight began to examine the spontaneous automation with her magic. “Tell me what happened.”

Rarity told about the delivery of her order of gems. "I should have known something was wrong when I felt dizzy when I used my magic on the stone. I had no idea something like this could happen by me putting it in its setting on the neck piece."

Twilight paused in her efforts, and then centered her power on the gem. “You were lucky that you didn’t touch it directly. Celestia only knows what it would have done to you.” Her eyes widened, as she made a discovery. “Rarity, you’re right, there is a pony in the gem. I’ve read about this kind of thing. Back when artifact creation was at its height there were cases where the masters would be pulled into their works.”

“You think that is what happened?”

Twilight focused internally for a couple of seconds, before answering, “I think so. This gem is very old and very powerful. Whoever is trapped in the gem has been there for a long time.”

Rarity looked over at Twilight, not liking where Twilight’s thoughts seemed to heading. “How can we get them out?”

Twilight’s eyes held little hope. “We might not be able to, I’m sure their body has long since been lost.”

“Could the princesses do anything for this poor dear?”

“Rarity, I just don’t know. I have never read or heard about anything like this. I doubt they have encountered something like this either.”

“Like what, sugar cube?” Applejack, Pinkie, and Rainbow entered the room. Applejack looked at her friend as she comforted the living mannequin, and softly whistled. “Rarity, what have you gone and got us tangled up in?”

“I don’t know, darling, but we have to help this pony.” She lowered her hoof, and held onto one of the mannequin’s with both. It lowered its head, and put it on top of her hooves much like a dog would. Rarity turned to Twilight, tears forming in her eyes from the afternoon’s stress and the thought of a pony trapped in such a state. “There has to be something we can do.”

“Why don’t the pair of you start off by telling us what happened? Then maybe we can come up with something instead of running around like cows seeing a snake.” Applejack paced around the pair on the floor, examining the strange pony as if was a new animal that she had never seen.

Rarity explained what happened in the shop, and Twilight went over the basics of the magical principles involved.

Pinkie tilted her head, as she looked the form over. “So, it’s a pony that’s not a pony? I don’t know whether to throw a party or not. It would be kind of strange, what would I put on the invitations?”

Rainbow faced hoofed. “Pinkie, I think you’re missing the point.”

Pinkie looked over at Rainbow, with a confused look. “No I’m not silly, if it’s not a full pony, I can’t I set up a ‘Welcome to Ponyville New Pony Party.’ We have to turn them back into pony before we can have the party.”

Rainbow smiled at her friend’s innocence. “Whatever works for you, Pinkie, you go with it.”

Twilight shook her head. “It’s not so simple Pinkie. We can’t turn the pony back, since they weren’t transformed to begin with. We would have to create a new body for them, and I don’t know if even the princesses can do that.”

Applejack rubbed her head, reaching under the brim of her hat. “You can’t replant a tree without a tree to plant.”

Pinkie looked around at the gloomy faces of her friends, and shrugged. “Sure we can, I did it.”

“Pinkie, we don’t need your joking around. We have a serious situation on our hooves.” Twilight gave Pinkie a glare, which had no impact on the party pony.

“I’m not joking; there were a whole bunch of copies of me when I used the Mirror Pool. We could make a copy of the pony stuck in the gem.”

“Like graftin’ a branch on an apple tree, Pinkie, you’re a genius. Twi, do you think it could work?” Applejack looked over to the magical prodigy with renewed hope.

Twilight blew a breath of air through her lips. “It would be difficult. I don’t know how the Mirror Pool even works. I studied up on it after Pinkie had her adventure with it, but even Celestia doesn’t know how old it is or how it got its magical properties.” She rubbed her chin with a hoof. “We can try. It may just create a copy of the mannequin form. I might be able to help the process with a little research and the right spell. We’ll just have to see.”

Rarity’s voice cut through the conversation, with a tone the others had not heard in her voice before. “Please be quick. I don’t what this poor soul to be trapped any longer than they have to be.”

Twilight nodded. “Give me a few minutes.” With that, she vanished back to the library.

Applejack noticed the absence of a certain pegasus. “Rainbow, where is Fluttershy?”

Rainbow laughed. “Oh sure, let’s bring the most timid pony in all Equestria to help handle a magically possessed doll that is wrecking her friend’s workroom. That would end well.”

Applejack snorted at the sarcasm, but could not argue.

Rarity stroked the trapped pony’s neck and shoulders, keeping it calm and quiet. Almost a half-hour passed before Twilight reappeared. “I think I’ve got it.”

Pinkie leapt to her hooves. “Great! Just teleport us there, we can get the pony out, and then we can have a welcome party!”

“I wish it were that simple, Pinkie. I don’t remember the spot well enough to risk teleporting there, especially with five other ponies in tow.” After a harsh look from Rarity, Twilight amended her words. “Six, make that six other ponies. I don’t want to be worn out before we get there either, in case the spell I’ve come up with requires a lot more power than I think it will. We’re going to have to hoof it.”

“How are we going to manage to lead the pony through the forest? It’s not exactly easy travelin’.” Applejack looked over the form, hoping to come up with some idea. “I got it. I’ll get my rope.”

Rarity gasped at the thought. “You are not going to lead a pony around with a rope around their neck as if they were some common bovine. It would be uncouth, it would chafe, and I can come up with something better. Just give me a moment.” Rarity gingerly led the mannequin towards her workbench, and got it to stand near her. She went through what was left of the organized part of her supplies and pulled out a roll of pink ribbon. She used her skills as a seamstress to fashion a simple harness around the form’s chest. The mannequin tensed at the initial touch of the cloth, but it held still. Rarity looked the harness over. “Not my best work, but I think it will do.”

The mannequin reached up, felt of the harness, and then followed the leading ribbon to its end. Rarity had put the end of the ribbon in her mouth, as she adjusted an aspect of the harness that did not meet her approval. The inquisitive hoof made its way to her mouth, and she froze. The hoof gently felt around her face, exploring her features. It stopped its examination, and then caressed her cheek in gratitude.

Pinkie jumped up and down. “Aw! It likes you!”

Rarity blushed, but did not say a word.

*****

The trip to the Mirror Pool was thankfully uneventful for the ponies. Due to the trapped pony’s sensory limitations, the trip took much longer that it normally would have. With care and patience that would have done Fluttershy proud, Rarity led her charge through the forest. It took the combined efforts of Twilight’s and Rarity’s magic, Rainbow’s and Applejack’s strength, and Pinkie’s cheering, to move the boulder that had been placed over the Mirror Pool’s entrance out of the way.

The five ponies cautiously made their way down to the pool. The steep slope and wet stones made their footing treacherous, but all made it without injury. Twilight waved each pony to a point around the pool and explained what she was going to attempt. “I think the spell that I have found will allow the Mirror Pool to create a copy of the pony in the gem as if they were still in their own body. When that happens, the spell should immediately transfer them out of the mannequin, and into the copy.”

Rarity turned to Twilight, concerned with complexity of what they were about to attempt. “What happens if the spell doesn’t work? It will be almost impossible to tell which of the ponies coming from the pool is which.”

Twilight grimly nodded. “That is a possibility. However, I doubt the pool can recreate the enchantments on the gem. All we would have to do is find out which of the pair has the real gem still attached to them and then we would banish the other.”

Pinkie flinched at the mention of banishment to the mirror pool. “I don’t want to see anypony banished again. It wasn’t fun at all.”

Rainbow flew over to Pinkie, and enveloped her in a winged hug. “Twilight’s spell is going to work just fine. Has she ever failed us before?”

Pinkie hugged her back, and answered, “No, she’s the best magical pony in all of Equestria. She can do it. It just still scares me sometimes. I might have lost all of you and gotten stuck down there.” She pointed to the pool and shivered.

Twilight smiled at Pinkie, trying to lift her spirits. “The thought of sticking you down there scared me too. That’s why I did so much research on the Mirror Pool. Celestia pointed out something to me when I wrote to her about the spell I used. I couldn’t have ‘sent back’ a real pony into the pool. It would have violated one of the basic premises of magic. Well, technically you would have been transported to the pool and ended up soaking wet, but you could have just swam out again. You’re our genuine Pinkie, no doubt about it.”

Pinkie perked up. “Then let’s do this!”

Applejack’s smile at her pink friend was cut short, as she thought about something. “Twilight, I hate to be a wet blanket, especially since you seem to have gotten this all figured out, but how are we going to get our friend here to jump in the pool?”

“That’s up to Rarity. She seems to have a touch with the pony.”

“Thank you Twilight, though I don’t know why you have such confidence in me.” Rarity, despite her words, instinctively knew what to do. She undid the harness from around the mannequin and led it to the edge of the pool. She took one of its hooves and dipped it in the water. The pony turned its head towards her, as if to ask a question. She repeated the action, this time dipping the hoof in faster. Upon the third time, the pony seemed to get the idea, and it started to lunge into the water. Rarity barely got it to stop with a combination of her magic and putting her hooves to its chest. “Twilight, dear, now would be the time to cast that spell of yours!”

The amount of power that Twilight poured into the spell made the cavern hum and the air shiver with magical power. As the spell struck the mannequin, it began to glow with a bright blue aurora. “Alright, let it go!”

Rarity moved to the side and gave the pony a light push to the shoulder. Without further encouragement, it clumsily dived into the pool. The mares watched, their breaths collectively held, waiting for something to surface.

After a couple of tense moments, Pinkie muttered, “Maybe I should have said the rhyme? Wait, I don’t know if the pony is a mare or a…”

A dark shape broke the surface of the water, on the far side of the pond from where the mannequin had entered, and pulled itself out of the pool. The earth pony stallion gasped for breath, and collapsed on the bank of the pool. Applejack happened to be standing the closest and got to him first. She knelt down beside him, and tried to help. “You alright there, partner?”

He didn’t respond, beyond coughing up water. Applejack leaned back, giving him room to empty his lungs. To her surprise, Rarity reached the stallion next, and began to use her magic to help him purge the water.

Twilight teleported over to the pair’s side, and asked, “Rarity, how did you know to do that?”

Rarity never took her eyes off her task. “My family’s house is next to a pond. When we were growing up, I always worried about Sweetie Belle getting into trouble with the water. I learned some basic lifesaving spells in case something like this happened. I’m glad I never had to use them.”

Rainbow landed next to Twilight and noted, “They came in handy this time.”

The stallion looked up, gulped some air, and locked his eyes with Rarity’s. “Are you the one that helped me?”

His clear, bass voice caused Rarity to sit back a little. She looked to her friends, who each nodded to her. She turned back to him. “Why, yes, I guess I am.”

He reached out and pulled one of her hooves into his. His bright green eyes looked at her almost frantically. “I am in your debt. Had it not been for you, I would have been trapped in that nightmare forever. I…” Before he could finish another word, he collapsed from sheer physical and emotional exhaustion. Rarity pulled him against her chest. She didn’t even think about the fact that her pristine coat was being soaked. She pushed back his long mane and checked to make sure he was still breathing. To her relief, he was.

Twilight looked over the stallion. His charcoal gray coat and black mane seemed familiar. Yet for some reason she could not put a hoof on it was not a comforting feeling. Instead, the notion seemed to fill her with unease. “Rarity, where did you say those gems came from?”

“From a gem dealer in the Crystal Empire, why do you ask?”

Twilight decided to keep her thoughts to herself.

Rarity drew a shocked, hissing breath, as she noticed something on the stallion’s chest.

“Hun, what’s wrong?” Rarity gently turned the stallion’s body so that the others could see. Applejack stared in amazement. “Sweet Celestia, would you look at that!”

Twilight’s, Rainbow’s, and Pinkie’s eyes went wide, as they realized that the gem that had been around the mannequin’s neck was now embedded in the center of the stallion’s chest.

Chapter 2: Learning Of the Past

A jolt caused the stallion to come to. He groggily raised his head and looked around. As another jolt bounced him, he realized he was being pulled along on a makeshift litter. “Excuse me. Thank you for the help, but I can walk on my own.”

The unexpected voice caused Applejack to stop. She looked over her shoulder at the dark stallion. “Girls, he’s awake.”

A pink face with blue eyes suddenly filled his vision. “Hello! I’m Pinkie Pie! I’m glad you’re okay. If you were sick, we wouldn’t have been able to give you a ‘Welcome to Ponyville Party.’ We would have had to wait and had a ‘Happy You Got Out of the Hospital Party,’ and they’re not nearly as fun.”

A blue hoof pulled the pink mare back. “Sorry about that. Pinkie Pie tends to be a little exited when she meets somepony new. I’m Rainbow Dash.”

He nodded, both in greeting and in thanks for her help with Pinkie. He looked around and smiled as he saw Rarity. “Just the mare I wanted to talk to.” As Rarity made her way towards him, he slowly rolled off the litter and shakily got to a kneeling position. He extended a hoof, before asking, “Would you please tell me your name?”

“My name is Rarity.” She offered him her hoof and blushed when he took and kissed it like the knights of old Equestria.

“My name is Stalwart Vigil. I cannot thank you enough for freeing me.”

“You’re welcome, but you should know I had a good deal of help.” Rarity explained the events of the afternoon to him.

When she finished, he slowly looked around at the other ponies. “Thank you all. I feel like I have been in a nightmare for years and you have woken me up." He turned to Pinkie. “You named your town Ponyville. I am ashamed to admit it, but I don’t know where it is located. How far is it to the Crystal Palace from here?”

Twilight shook her head. “You’re not in any shape to travel long distances. Besides, you’re not in the Crystal Empire.”

“That can’t be.”

Applejack cut in. “She’s tellin’ the truth. You’re in Equestria.”

“I’m in Equestria?”

Applejack nodded.

“Has Discord been defeated?”

Rainbow grinned at him “He’s been beaten twice. Once by Celestia and Luna a thousand years ago and then by my friends and me using the Elements of Harmony. He’s a statute in the castle gardens right now.”

“Finally, he’s gone.” His eyes widened. “Did you say a thousand years ago?!”

“That’s right.”

Vigil dropped his head. “Then all I knew is gone.”

Rarity took his face in her hooves and raised it. “The Crystal Empire is exactly how you remember it. The Empire was frozen in time by king Sombra’s curse. It just recently returned to Equestria. It’s peacefully being ruled by princess Cadence.”

“Princess Cadence? King Sombra? There are no princesses or kings in the Empire. Celestia and Luna rule from the Castle of Harmony in Everfree.” He raised his hooves and placed them on hers. He searched her eyes for answers, but could find none.

Rarity looked to Twilight for help.

Twilight tilted her head at him. “You don’t remember anypony called Sombra at all?”

“No. I cannot remember anypony with that name.” His brow furrowed. “In fact, I can’t clearly recall anything that’s happened in the last few months. What I can remember doesn’t make sense at all. It’s probably some magic of Discord’s.” He got to his hooves and offered to take the litter from Applejack.

“Not happenin’. You might give out on the way back. Better leave it right where it is.”

“I won’t collapse.” Upon seeing Applejack’s glare, he decided to let the matter drop. “However, it might be better to be safe than sorry.”

She gave him an understanding smile. “It’s really hard to admit when you’re at the end of your rope. That’s somethin’ I had to learn about the hard way.”

They made their way back to Ponyville. Vigil managed to make the distance on his own hooves, though at times he was unsteady.

As they arrived back at Carousel Boutique, Twilight put the still wet mannequin in Rarity’s trash. It had been completely ruined by getting wet and being soiled during the trip through the forest. She made sure that no magical influences remained on the doll and then followed the others in.

As the group entered her home, Rarity welcomed them with a flourish. “Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chic, unique, and magnifique.”

Vigil looked around the shop at the various dress and accessories displayed. “Well, if I had remained a gem I would have been happy being part of such designs.”

Rarity blushed at the complement and led them to her workroom. “This is where it all began.”

Twilight began examining the room with her magic. “I don’t feel any magical residue. That’s a good sign. Sometimes with artifacts there can be lingering effects that don’t show up till much later.”

Vigil blanched at the devastation he had caused. “I’ll pay for all the damages.”

Rarity shook her head. “You will do no such thing. My sister and her friends have done much worse, let me assure you.”

Twilight’s horn lit again, and within a couple of moments most of damage had been undone. “Thanks to Rainbow’s crashing into the library, I’ve gotten pretty good repair spells.”

“Ha, ha, thanks Twilight. Throw me under the carriage.” Rainbow spread her wings and turned to leave. “I’ll go get Fluttershy. My wings could use the stretch after being trapped under those trees for so long.”

Rarity looked around the workroom and danced with glee. “Twilight, you’re a marvel. All I will have to do is straighten up, and nopony would know anything happened.”

Vigil eyed the other mannequins. “I hate to seem a coward, but can we go to a different room? Being around the mannequins is a little uncomfortable.”

Rarity hid her smile behind a hoof. “Of course, we’ll retire to the kitchen. That’s where the box of gems is anyway. Twilight should look them over too. I’d like to know if there are any more surprises.”

They moved to the kitchen and Rarity set about getting a pot of tea ready. Twilight scanned the box and its contents with her magic. There were no other enchanted gems.

“Well that’s good to know.” Rarity stated, as she poured the tea. “I have half a mind to give of the gems to Spike as a treat.” She caught Vigil’s confused look and explained, “Spike is a baby dragon that lives with Twilight. He eats gems.”

Vigil’s eyes widened in horror at the thought of what could have happened to him, had the dragon gotten hold of the gem he had been trapped in.

Twilight giggled at his terrified expression. “Don’t worry. Spike says that enchanted gems burn his mouth and taste terrible. He’s only gotten hold of one, and he immediately spit it out. You would have been safe.”

“Thank Celestia! I don’t think I’ve ever been happy at the idea of being unappetizing to a dragon before.” Much to Vigil’s chagrin, Pinkie sat next to him. She kept examining him from different angles, turning her head in disturbing ways. He soon began to get uncomfortable under the scrutiny. “Is there something I can do for you?”

She tilted her head again, and leaned over the table. “I know I’ve seen you before. I remember everypony.”

Twilight swallowed nervously, and Applejack caught the motion. “Twilight, is there somethin’ you’re not tellin’ us?”

“I can’t be sure, but I think we have met this stallion before.”

Vigil laughed at the thought. “That’s impossible. I’ve been trapped in a gem for a thousand years. Your great, great, great grandparents hadn’t even been born then.”

The door to the kitchen opened, and in stepped Rainbow. “Sorry guys, I would have gotten back sooner but I had to help Fluttershy round up a couple of stray chickens.”

Fluttershy followed Rainbow into the room. “There was another hole in my chicken wire so…” Fluttershy suddenly froze at the sight of Vigil. She began to cower, and curled up into a ball.

Rainbow put a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “Shy, what is it?”

Fluttershy softly and urgently asked, “Why is Sombra here?”

Twilight flinched at Sombra’s name, but was somewhat glad she was not the only pony who saw the resemblance.

The other mares turned to Vigil and examined him again. Pinkie’s eyes narrowed, “Are you that nasty, shadowy, meanie pants?”

Vigil looked at her in utter disbelief. “You can’t be serious.”

“You don’t remember.” They all turned to Twilight, as she spoke. “You’re not a unicorn, but the resemblance is uncanny. It would explain your memory being unreliable.”

Vigil could tell Twilight was deeply troubled. “Alright, is there a way for you to help my memories rearrange themselves so I can make sense of them? Magic is involved with their being lost. From what Rarity told me about you, you are one of the most powerful magic users the world has seen.”

Twilight hesitantly offered, “I know a spell that can help you remember what happened, but I’m not certain Discord is involved at all.” She paused, as she carefully chose her words. “Sometimes it’s better to forget traumatic events for a while and let the memories return on their own.”

He smiled at her consideration. “Thank you for your concern. However, as a Lancer of the Crystal Empire, and have faced many harrowing trials. I would rather know what occurred rather than live in doubt.”

Twilight nodded, and reluctantly cast the spell. Her friends recognized it as a variation of the spell she had used to return their memories of friendship while they were under Discord’s power.

Vigil stiffened, and for a minute, his face went blank. Once he returned to himself, without a word, he got up and walked into the showroom. He stood in front of one of the mirrors and regarded his reflection. “I was right. They should never have tried to bend the Crystal Heart’s power like that. Celestia and Luna, please forgive me.”

Twilight could not stop her inquisitiveness. “What happened?”

“Discord is what happened. We were cut off from the rest of Equestria. Discord’s power had twisted the Empire beyond the point of recognition, and ponies were beginning to panic. I was captain of the Crystal Empire’s Lancers at the time. That made me de facto leader of the military forces still stationed in the Empire. Since the Empire was cut off from the princesses’ guidance, and I couldn’t run the kingdom and the army on my own, a civil council was made to lead the civilian population.”

He shook his head as if trying to get rid of a haunting vision. “The civilian leaders got desperate after nearly a year with no word from the princesses. They started to work on a way that they could use the Crystal Heart’s power to drive off Discord. The Heart was meant to bring light and harmony to Equestria, not to be used as a weapon. I warned the council something horrible would happen if we tried to use the Heart in a way it wasn’t intended.”

He glared into the mirror as if he could see the council members through it. “They wouldn’t listen. They began to try to force the Heart to react to Discord and strike him in some way. The Heart did not respond to that well, and a couple of ponies were hurt. I didn’t want to see any more injuries, so I made them a deal. If they could craft another artifact that would direct the Heart’s power, I would use it to drive off Discord in the next skirmish with him.”

Vigil sighed, and turned back to the Elements. “I didn’t expect them to be able to make such an artifact, but they did it. They magically linked me with a crystal that a master craftspony formed. They then took that crystal and put it an artificial horn that could direct the power of the Heart. As I promised, I used the horn the next time Discord entered the Empire. It certainly drove him off, but the horn warped and became a conduit for dark magic and emotions. After I used it, the horn freed itself from the helm I had been wearing and embedded itself in my forehead. Even with the spell, everything is sketchy. I just get little slices of time. What I do remember I really don’t want to. ” He reached up and rubbed the spot on his skull. “ It’s nice to see that there isn’t an outside scar at least. The last somewhat clear memory I have is Celestia and Luna sealing me away. It bothers me that there still seems to be a gap. I can’t explain how you ended up with the core gem from the horn.”

Twilight told Vigil about the return of the Crystal Empire, their struggle with Sombra, and the dark king’s demise. “By that point, the horn must have taken complete control of you. I am glad you weren’t awake for any part of that. When the Crystal Heart’s power struck him, Sombra’s end was not pretty.”

Vigil struggled to keep his emotions in check. “Discord never harmed a pony, not one. He just wanted to play his games. Sure, he caused all sort of problems and disrupted our lives, but he never directly hurt a single soul. I turned into a monster that was much worse. I put my people into bondage, fed on their fear, and nearly destroyed what was left of our home. I’m a tyrant.”

Fluttershy spoke up, much to the astonishment of her friends. “No, you’re not. The same thing happened to Luna. She was taken over by dark nightmare forces. While she was trapped, she tried to stop the sun from rising and fought with Celestia, but she is not a bad pony. The horn is what did all those terrible things, not you.”

Vigil almost did not believe her. “Luna fell to nightmares?”

Rarity took it upon herself to explain. “She and Celestia were physically and mentally exhausted after using the Elements of Harmony to seal Discord. The nightmare forces she constantly battled took advantage of Luna’s condition, and seeped into her heart. They eventually turned her to darkness and Celestia had to banish Luna to the moon. It took one thousand years until the process could be undone. My friends and I,” she waved at the gathered mares, “became the new bearers of the Elements of Harmony and freed her.”

“You’ve freed me as well.” He bowed to them. “You are heroines.” He raised his head. The friendly, bright light had returned to his eyes. “Thank you for understanding. I hope other ponies will be so forgiving.” Without warning, the gem in his chest pulsed with a red light. He gasped for breath, as a wave of pain went through him.

Twilight’s magic reached out and felt of the gem. “Its power is weakening.” She looked up at him. “I’m so sorry; the spell didn’t complete the transformation so that you would be completely free of the crystal’s link to you.”

Vigil gave her a wan smile through the pain. “You saved my life and my sanity. You do not have to apologize at all.”

Rarity braced him from falling. “Could it kill him?”

Twilight shook her head, unsure of how to answer. “It’s possible. The gem was linked to him when it was created. As its power fades, it will try to gain more by pulling it from him. It could get very painful for him, and it could be fatal if things get bad enough.”

“We did not through all that trouble just to have him killed by some wonky gem.” Rainbow looked to Twilight. “We need to see the princesses. They can do something.”

Applejack tilted her hat back in concern. “Twilight may be good, but she can’t teleport us all there. The next train doesn’t leave until the mornin’. Can he tough it out till then?”

Twilight leaned in and inspected the gem. “He should be fine for a while. There is a lot of power stored in this gem. I wouldn’t wait days till we did something about this, but he’s in no danger right now.”

“That’s something positive, at least.” Rarity looked towards her kitchen. “If we all don’t get some energy of a different kind, we’re going to be in trouble of our own. Let’s have a nice, quiet dinner. I think we’ve earned it.”

“I’d love to Rarity, but I need to get back to the library. We don’t know about all of this so much. I want to be sure that my calculations about the gem are right.” Twilight gave Vigil a grin. “We certainly don’t want to lose you to a ‘wonky gem,’ or over a less than well educated guess.”

Applejack declined as well. “I have to get back to Sweet Apple Acres. I’ve been gone all day, and there is still work that needs to be finished.”

Rainbow was much less polite as she ducked the dinner. “Thanks Rare, but fancy food just isn’t filling enough for someone that flies for a living. I’m getting some hayfries, a hayburger, and a strawshake.”

Rarity watched the three mares walk out the door, and shook her head. “Guess it’s us four.”

Pinkie shook her head. “Nope, I’ve got to get back and help the Cakes with the twins. You three it shall be.” Pinkie smiled at herself. “I guess I’ve been hanging around Zecora a little too much. I’m beginning to rhyme and such.” She bounced her way out of the boutique, muttering rhymes to herself.

Fluttershy shut the door behind the party pony, looked over to Rarity, and shrugged. “I guess it’s just us.”

Rarity decided to defer the decisions of eating in or not to Vigil. “Shall we eat here, or would you like to see a little of the town?”

Vigil paused for a moment, judging how tired he was, before answering, “If you don’t mind, eating here sounds good. I’ll help fix things. Just tell me what you need to do.”

“The guest does not help in preparing the meal.”

He smirked at the thought. “I’m not a guest. I’m more of an intruder. Besides, I still need to make amends for making a mess of your workshop.”

Fluttershy began to feel uncomfortable, as the two ponies continued their friendly banter.

Rarity smiled back at him. “You didn’t know what you were doing. In fact, you couldn’t have known what you were doing. You couldn’t see or hear. I was going to reorganize anyway.”

“Then I owe you for the mannequin.”

“If the need arises, I’ll use you as a model.” There was a pause. Rarity blushed, cleared her throat, and tried to rephrase what she said. “I mean, you can help around the shop, if it really means that much to you.”

He slightly bowed to her. “It would.”

Fluttershy smiled. Glad the pair had not begun to argue. “I can help too, if you don’t mind.”

The dinner was, by Rarity’s standards, a simple meal. The dishes consisted of a daffodil salad, a lintel soup, and a glass of wine for each. All of which were delicious. Vigil swirled what was left of the wine in his glass. “I have not had a meal that good in a very long time. Thank you both.”

Rarity gave him a disbelieving look. “You were a king, surely you ate well?”

Vigil smiled, but there was a good bit of sadness in it. “The creature that took me over fed on the fear of my fellow ponies. I have not had a real meal in almost a year.”

Rarity looked sheepish. “I’m sorry; I meant it as a joke.”

Vigil finished his wine in one swallow, and then gave her an understanding smile. “I know. It’s just difficult knowing what I’ve done to ponies that were my friends.”

Fluttershy reached over and patted his shoulder. “You didn’t do those horrible things to them, Sombra did. Your friends will understand.”

He nodded at her kind words. “I hope so.”

Soon after, Fluttershy headed back to her cottage, leaving the rescuer and the rescued alone.

Vigil all but swayed in place. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I’m about to fall asleep sitting up. May I have a blanket and a pillow?”

“You don’t mean to sleep on the floor do you?”

“I was going to sleep outside.”

Rarity pointed at him with a hoof. “No you will not! You just turned back into a pony, you have a gem embedded in your chest that might kill you, and you are a guest under this roof. You are not sleeping outside.”

Vigil’s face slowly began to redden. “It’s not proper for a Lancer of the Empire to stay in the house of an unwed mare.”

Rarity gaped at him. “You did not just say that. Look, captain of the Lancers of the Empire, you are in Equestria, you are one thousand years out of date when it comes to what is proper and what is not, and you will sleep in this house. There will be no further argument. Do I make myself clear?”

Her tone told him he could not dissuade her. “Then I will sleep on the floor, wherever you would like me to.”

She rolled her eyes at his stubbornness. “Come with me.” She led him to the guest bedroom. “My sister, Sweetie Belle, sleeps here when she comes to visit. It’s a little frilly for a stallion, but this is where I want you to sleep.”

“Rarity, I cannot thank you enough.”

“You don’t have to thank me for anything. Ponies should help others in need whenever they can. It’s the right thing to do. Besides, you never know when the horseshoe is going to be on the other hoof, and it’s you that needs the help.”

*****

Vigil woke with a gasp. He put his head in his hooves. He could not remember what he had been dreaming, and he was glad for it. He got out of bed, and headed into the boutique. He wandered into the storeroom and looked around. He began quietly trying to put things back in their rightful places. The work took his mind off the images that Twilight’s spell had revealed to him.

“You should be resting.”

Vigil turned towards the voice. Rarity stood at the door to the workroom, wearing a red and gold silk kimono. Her mane still suffered from being in bed, but that added its own allure. He turned back to his work, before he stared at her. “I could say the same to you. You had to deal with me when I couldn’t hear, see, or speak. You led me through the forest, freed me, brought me back, gave me dinner, and tried to make sure I was comfortable the entire time. You deserve rest more than I do. I’m sorry I woke you.”

“You didn’t wake me, my alarm clock did. I always get up early. As for freeing you, my friends helped a great deal, especially in getting you out of the gem. Had it not been for Pinkie’s wild idea and Twilight’s magic I could not have done it.”

“You’re being too modest. I know it was you who got me to dive in the pool.”

“How could you know?”

“The way you touched me, I could tell. It was a commanding, yet kind, touch. Just like when you first grabbed my hoof to calm me down when I was trapped. You don’t forget the touch of an angel when you are in the dark.” He looked at her and then to the floor, embarrassed by his words.

Rarity’s eyebrows rose. “Angel? I’m nothing of the sort. I’ve had my moments, both good and bad. I’m just another pony.”

“Well then, ‘just another pony.’ Where would you like these chalk pencils?” The two worked to put things away. The mess looked horrible, but it did not take long for the majority of the items to be put back in their proper places. Vigil had to brush back his long mane more than once, to get it from in front of his eyes. “This is becoming irritating. How could he stand it?”

“Well, I’m glad to hear that you recognize that Sombra is not, nor was, you.” She levitated a pair of sharp scissors from a drawer. “I haven’t styled a stallion’s mane in a while, but I would be willing to try. How long do you keep your mane?”

Vigil thought about it for a moment. “I kept it a little long. It was one of the benefits of being a captain. I’d like it short now. I’m still seeing things I don’t like in the mirror.”

Rarity sympathetically nodded, and led him to where she did makeovers for her customers. The scissors started their work, and soon Vigil’s hair was back to a more manageable length. “Sorry I couldn’t give you the latest style. As rusty as I am, I’m just glad I didn’t ruin your mane.”

He smiled into the mirror at her. “No, this is perfect. Thank you.” As Rarity began to levitate the clippings from the floor, a knock on the door to the shop made them both jump. “It’s barely past sunrise. Do you typically open this early?”

Rarity shook her head. “It must be Twilight. She probably stayed up all night trying to figure out more about the gem.”

“I’ll get the door.” Vigil opened the door, and froze. There stood Celestia, she still radiated with power from raising the sun.

“Your highness,” Vigil gasped, as he dropped into a deep bow.

Having heard Vigil’s tone, but not his exact words, Rarity became concerned. “Vigil, who is it?”

Vigil could not respond. The shock at seeing the princess had frozen him.

Celestia gave him an amused look, and crisply ordered, “Captain, come to attention.” Without even thinking, Vigil stood straight with his eyes ahead. “Captain, answer Rarity.”

“The princess Celestia is here.”

Rarity deposited the last of the clippings in the trash, sighed as she noted her mane’s appearance in the mirror, and rushed to greet Celestia. “Princess, this is an honor. She bowed to the alicorn. “I was not expecting you. I’m afraid I don’t have much to offer beyond some fine tea from Saddle Arabia and what I can fix for breakfast.”

“Thank you, but will only be able to stay for a few minutes. Twilight wrote to me last night, and I had to come see Vigil myself.” To both Rarity’s and Vigil’s shock, the princess hugged him around the neck. “I thought we had lost you, twice in fact. I am glad to see that you are back with us.” She released him and gave him a smile. “I wish I could have brought Luna with me, she would have loved to see you too. She is conducting trade negotiations with the griffins, and won’t be back for a few days.”

She paused noting the gem in Vigil’s chest. “Twilight was right. You’re not out of danger yet.” Her horn lit, and Vigil almost raised his hoof at the sensation of Celestia’s magic working on the gem. “I’ve done what I can. The gem is still connected to you, and could become a threat to your health. I have slowed the progress of its decay considerably, but I can do no more.”

Rarity could barely will herself to ask, “Then there is nothing that can be done to undo it? He’ll die?”

Celestia noted Rarity’s concern and smiled gently. “I do not have the power to undo this, but there is another source of power that can, one that this gem was linked to as well as to Vigil.”

Rarity let out a relieved breath. “The Crystal Heart, the Heart can undo this.”

Celestia regarded Vigil with a grin. “At ease, you may speak freely.”

Vigil looked up at the princess pleadingly. “I beg your forgiveness and mercy. I failed you.”

Celestia laughed, which threw him completely. “You did not fail. You drove Discord from the Empire and weakened him so that Luna’s and my battle with him was easier.” She brought her head down to his height, and looked him in the eye. “You did the best you could with the cards that had been dealt to you. Between Twilight’s letter, and my own knowledge of what occurred then, I assure you that you performed admirably.”

Still, he cautiously stated, “I understand, but I still allowed that thing to take me over and harm so many ponies.”

“My sister should be the one to talk to you about how powerful dark influences can be.” Celestia’s typically composed face showed a rare moment of sadness. “Luna fell to the dark forces of nightmares soon after we sealed Sombra in the earth. Discord may not have meant to do harm, but his chaos caused more suffering than he could understand. I can tell you are still troubled by what happened. I think speaking to Luna, when she returns, will help ease your mind.”

She turned to leave, but said over her shoulder, “Stay in Ponyville and rest. I will send a message when Luna returns, and you can some see us in Canterlot on your way to the Crystal Empire. She is your direct commander, so she will be the one to judge your conduct. However, know that you will have my complete support in the matter. Now, if you would excuse me. I need to go see Twilight. I have not seen her writing so shaky in a long time. She’s accomplished quite a lot in magical terms in the last couple of days, and she must be exhausted. I will tell her about the Crystal Heart being able to help you, and try to get her to rest.”

Vigil and Rarity bowed as Celestia took off into the sky. He shook his head. “Is it always like this?”

Rarity did not understand the question fully. “Like what?”

“Magical powers running wild, Princesses dropping in unannounced to help find solutions to problems, ancient secrets and threats threatening the lives of ponies, are those kinds of things common occurrences here in Ponyville?”

Rarity nodded. “That's quite typical for around here, along with dragons running amok, parasprite invasions, Ursa Minor attacks, timber wolf problems, and cockatrices turning ponies to stone, just to name some of our more colorful problems.”

Vigil could not help but ask, “Are you sure Discord is gone?”

Chapter 3: A Recovery, a Royal Dinner, and Sketchy Plans

Vigil kept an eye on what he was preparing for breakfast. It had taken him a moment or two to figure out the stove, even after Rarity had shown him how to work its controls. He kept the heat relatively low, deciding to cook the meal longer rather than risk burning it.

Celestia’s visit had calmed him considerably. His mind was more at ease, knowing that one of the two most powerful ponies of Equestria did not see him as a fiend. He muttered to himself, “Twilight may have been right. Maybe it would have been better had I just let the memories come in time.”

“Vigil, stop that. No matter if you take the bandage off slowly, or with a sharp pull, it’s still going to hurt.” Rarity walked into the kitchen, and took a second to appreciate the smell of breakfast cooking before sitting down at the table. Had Sweetie Belle attempted the same meal, Rarity was sure she would be putting out fires by now.

She looked marvelous, as usual. Vigil was sad to see the kimono go. She had looked quite nice in it. “Too true, at least this way the healing process can start faster.”

Rarity nodded and smiled, pleased at his positive outlook on the situation. “There we go. No more doldrums. You’ve just got to get the right mindset. This will all work out.”

“I noticed you do not have much in your ice chest. Would you like me to go to the market for you? I have to earn my keep somehow, if I’m going to remain here.”

She waved the suggestion off. “I’ll do that later, you need to stay here and rest. It’s a refrigerator, by the way. Similar principle, but it works using enchanted gems, not real ice.”

He glanced over at the white appliance with a new respect. “I wondered how it was staying cool without ice, but don’t try to change the subject. Resting is one thing, me being lazy is another. Getting food and supplies would allow me to see the town as well.” He plated the hay bacon and eggs, and then placed Rarity’s meal in front of her. He sat down across from her, and poured apple juice into their respective glasses. “I’m used to working from sunup till past twilight. I wouldn’t know what to do with a restful day if it tackled me.”

During the meal, Vigil convinced Rarity to allow him to go to the market for her. As he collected the dishes, she made a list of things that she would need from the market. “I tried to give you what the reasonable price for each item should be. We don’t often have trouble with the stall owners trying to take advantage of a pony, but I’ve see it happen.” She provided him with saddle bags, a pouch of bits, and instructions on how to reach the market. “Are you sure you will be alright?”

“I’m going to pick up food, some thread, and a book from the library. How much trouble can I get into?”

Rarity started to say something, smiled at some inner thought, and unlocked the shop door for him. “You’d be surprised.”

*****

An hour and a half later, Vigil returned a much more educated stallion as to the ways of Ponyville. He had learned of the Cutie Mark Crusaders by nearly being run over by their scooter and wagon combination as they made their way to their newest attempt to gain their cutie marks. He learned that there was a shortage of available stallions in the town and an abundance of single mares. While that led to good bargains at the market, it also led to uncomfortable conversations as to his past, his job, where he lived, and whether he would be interested in a nice quiet dinner. He also learned that trying to dissuade Twilight from looking over a magical puzzle, namely him, was impossible. He had ended up bombarded with several magical tests at the hooves of the purple unicorn. He had also learned that baby dragons do not know what to make of a stallion who asks if they have eaten any enchanted gems lately, and that they can be jealous of a stallion staying under the same roof as their crush.

He closed the shop’s door behind him, relieved to be back in the relative calm of the boutique. His ears perked up at the sound of another voice in the shop, a male voice. He put the saddle bags down in the kitchen, and followed the sounds of conversation. Rarity and a blue maned, white coated stallion stood in the workroom looking over a sketch. The stallion was obviously well to do. His clothing was of expensive make and perfectly tailored for him. As the stallion turned to him, Vigil noticed that he wore a monocle. Vigil internally sighed, Of course. A mare like Rarity was sure to already have some stallion in her life. He was somewhat surprised at himself for the thought.

Rarity gestured for Vigil to come into the room. “Just the stallion we were discussing. Stalwart Vigil, it’s my pleasure to introduce Fancy Pants. He and I were going over a business idea of his.”

Fancy stepped forward and offered his hoof. “Rarity told me about your ordeal. I can’t say that I would have recovered nearly so well. I’m glad to see you up and about.”

Vigil half expected Fancy to be a well-to-do jerk, yet he was charming and polite as any pony could ask for. Great, to top it off he’s a gentlecolt. Vigil took the offered hoof and shook it. “Rarity is the one that made my swift recovery possible.”

Fancy flashed a brilliant smile. “She and I were just discussing an idea that I have had. I would value your input, since you are from the Crystal Empire.” He pointed to Rarity’s sketch. “I noted on a recent trip to the Empire that clothing is not widely worn, and suits not at all. I hope to change that. What do you think about something like this for stallions to wear?”

Vigil looked over the sketch and didn’t know what to say. He had always been fond of cloaks. “Knowledge of fashion is something that I’m lacking in. I don’t even recognize this type of clothing. You’re the first stallion I have ever seen wearing it.”

Both Rarity and Fancy looked at him blankly for a moment. Rarity looked towards the ceiling, ashamed at herself for not thinking of it sooner. “Of course, he’s technically from one thousand years in the past. Ponies didn’t have formal attire like this back then.”

Fancy gave Vigil a sympathetic look. “There must be so much you have to be getting used to.”

Vigil shrugged, not really sure how to answer. “It’s taking a bit of adjusting, but most things are the same. Ponies are still ponies. That much hasn’t changed at all.”

“Well spoken.” Fancy removed his monocle and placed in his pocket. “I need to get going. I’m sure Fleur is giving the owner of Odds and Ends an interesting time. I haven’t seen her so excited over a shop in a while.”

“Tell her hello for me.” Rarity led them out of the workroom and to the shop’s door. “If you are staying in Ponyville, maybe we could get together for dinner one night?”

Fancy politely shook his head. “I’m afraid we have to return to Centerlot this evening. I have a meeting to attend in the morning, and she has a photo shoot with Photo Finish scheduled. Otherwise I would have enjoyed the opportunity for dinner with you and Vigil.”

Vigil kept his outward appearance neutral. There was a lot being said without the corresponding words being uttered. He was not certain if he understood the subtext correctly. “It would have been a pleasure to meet your…?”

Fancy grinned as if he had won some bet with himself. “My fiancé, she is a wonderful mare. Intelligent, practical, lovely, I could not ask for more.” Fancy gave Vigil a glance meant to convey a meaning just for him. “There are far too few mares like Fleur. I have been lucky enough to have had two in my life, my fiancé and the mare standing beside you. You were fortunate to find yourself saved by the bearer of the Element of Generosity.” He turned and departed, leaving Rarity with a slight blush and Vigil with a new opinion of the Canterlot stallion.

“I can see why he is doing so well. He could charm a hydra into becoming a pet.” Vigil shut the store’s door. As he turned, Rarity gave him a knowing look. Vigil paused and asked, “What?”

Rarity grinned. “Nothing, I was just noticing something. Anyway, I think I’ve figured out a way for you to not feel like you are being lazy while we wait for Celestia’s letter.”

Vigil cautiously asked, “That would be?”

“You’re going to help me by being a model.”

Vigil gave her a confused look. “What do you mean a ‘model’?”

Rarity paused for a moment, and clarified, “You would be a living mannequin that would allow me to see how my designs looked on a stallion, particularly when they were in motion.

Vigil tried not to, he truly did, but he ended up laughing anyway.

Rarity was not amused at his reaction. “I’m serious. You’re in great shape, you have the right build, and with your mane and coat colors I could work with a wide range of color combinations.”

Vigil raised a hoof. “I apologize, but the idea of me replacing your mannequin literally struck me as funny.” He bowed slightly. “I agree to become your model. I would hate to disappoint the lady who has taken me in, and who just complemented my physique so nicely.”

Rarity rolled her eyes and pushed him towards the shop.

*****

Rarity kept Vigil constantly occupied during the days it took for them to receive a message form Celestia. He stood for pin-fits, modeled a couple of early designs, comforted her when she thought they were rubbish, and helped her by getting supplies and doing odd jobs around the shop while she redid the designs. Vigil returned to his habit of completing the Lancer’s morning and evening exercise regimens. The routines helped keep his mind clear. They also gave him a sense of normalcy in an otherwise strange and hectic setting. After a couple of days of him starting back on the regimens, Rarity joined him during a morning session. She had little trouble with the exercises, and he was surprised to learn that she had had martial arts training. The gem flared a few times during the wait. Thanks to Celestia’s magic, the discomfort was much less, and Vigil found the flares more annoying than painful.

The time spent at Carousel Boutique did more than allow Vigil time to recover; it allowed him to find a new appreciation for the mare that had saved him. He found her to be professional, elegant with clients, skilled in her craft, and detail oriented in all aspects of her work. She was equally well rounded in her personal life. Caring and supportive with her sister’s attempts to get her cutie mark (when the younger mare wasn’t destroying part of the shop or the kitchen), helpful to her friends when they needed it, and even her odd relationship with Spike showed she had a loving heart. He began to show his growing affections for her in small ways. He picked up extra tasks as he worked around the shop, left flowers in spots where she would find them; he took the time to learn and fix her favorite dishes during meals, and made sure she kept herself healthy in the face of her daunting work load. She noted his efforts and tokens of affection, but said nothing directly about them other than to thank him. However, he noticed she would stand closer to him when they were out in Ponyville, and there was much more ‘incidental’ contact between the two of them in the workroom as they toiled on the suit’s designs and completion.

After three weeks, the message from Celestia arrived. It came in the form of an invitation for Vigil and the Elements to come do dinner at the castle in two days. Included in the message were train tickets for them all. Vigil was fascinated by the train, and watched out the window as Equestria’s country side went by. “I would have never thought such a thing possible. The work that this machine can do must be staggering.”

Applejack appreciated the fact that he saw the potential in trains. “From what Rarity told me, she’s convinced that work is about all that you think about. She’s tried to get you to rest, but you always managed to find something to do.”

Vigil turned to the farming mare. “When I was captain of the Lancers, I always had to fulfill some duty or another. I guess I got used to being constantly in motion. It feels strange to sit for any length of time without doing something. Truth be told, she is not much better. She gets up and exercises with me at sunrise and then sets right to work. She only stops when I drag her out of the workshop, if there is a customer she needs to attend to, or for our evening exercises before dinner.”

“I’m glad you’re tryin’ to get her to take care of herself. She tends to put too much on her plate, and can get herself all riled up over the smallest thing.”

They both turned to where Rarity was sitting with Twilight and Fluttershy. “She does tend to get a little dramatic at times.” Applejack gave him a sidelong glance. “Alright, she gets really dramatic at times. But with her drive for perfection and keen eye for detail it’s understandable. She puts so much effort into everything that she does, whether it’s for her or for others. It’s impressive to watch.”

Applejack turned back to Vigil, as a grin slowly came over her face.

Rarity sensed she was being looked at, and turned towards Vigil. She noticed Applejack’s face, and walked over. “What are you two talking about? I thought I felt my ears burning for a moment.”

Rainbow, who had been sitting by Applejack, decided to cut in. “Vigil was just telling Applejack about how you worked too hard and that your drama fits were because you were fussy about everything.”

Vigil’s mouth fell open at Rainbow’s words. Applejack did not help the situation by laughing. “I did not say anything like that!” He tried to explain to Rarity, “I said that your drive for perfection made you stress the small details of life. That’s all!”

Applejack’s grin went from ear to ear, as she decided to add to the fun. “He also told us how you two were exercisin' in the mornins and evenins.”

Rarity could only stammer at her friend’s implications. Vigil put his head against the car’s window in defeat.

The train pulled into the Canterlot station. The group disembarked and started to make their way towards the castle. Pinkie bounced ahead, looking at anything and everything.

“Is she always like that?” Vigil could hardly keep up with Pinkie’s rapid and erratic movements. She seemed to be able to move from one spot to another within a blink of an eye.

Twilight snorted in an unladylike way. “Yes. I still haven’t figured out how she does it. Between her Pinkie Sense and her ability to break the laws of physics, I’m certain there is a kind of magic involved that hasn’t been discovered yet. I just haven’t been able to isolate it.”

“So that’s why you know all those weird examination spells.”

Twilight glared at him. “It was just five spells. I’ll have you know they are standard examination spells that are used all over Equestria.”

“Five spells that examined every inch of my being inside and out.” He shuddered as he remembered the sensation of the spells passing over and through him.

Rarity raised an eyebrow, and curiously asked, “Every inch?”

He nodded in humiliation. “Every inch..”

Rarity couldn’t help but add to his embarrassment. “Twilight dear, we will have to discuss what you found. I have taken my own measurements and notes on him, for my little fashion project, and we’ll have to compare to notes as to how fit a specimen he is.”

Vigil let out a long sigh. “This is what I get for being the only male in the group.”

The Royal Guards at the castle gate recognized the Elements on sight. The pair of armored stallions directed them to the castle’s entry hall. Vigil instinctively drew himself up as if he were on duty upon entering the castle. After a couple of minutes, Celestia entered the hall.

“Hello my friends, it’s good to see you. It’s unfortunate that troubling situations seem to be the only time all of us can get together.”

Pinkie bounded up to the princess. “You can come to any party I throw in Ponyville. Then it wouldn’t have to be a serious thing when you see us.”

Celestia grinned at the prospect. “I will be sure to do that. I’ll be looking forward to it, and your scrumptious cake.” She looked to the cause of the evening. “I’m glad to see you are doing well, Vigil.”

Vigil bowed to her. “Princess, I am in good health thanks to your magic and Rarity’s care.”

“No need to be so formal, captain. You’re out of uniform and far from the Crystal Empire.”

Twilight tilted her head. “Princess, don’t you mean that Vigil was a captain?”

“No, Twilight, Vigil was not released from the guard formally nor did he resign.” She playfully put a hoof to her chin. “Now that you mention it, I will have to discuss with Luna how we are going to measure his back pay.”

“I’m still a part of the Lancers?” Vigil’s voice quavered a little.

“Of course you still are. Did you think otherwise?” Celestia asked, concerned at the expression on his face.

“I thought after my…behavior that I would have been dismissed.”

“Luna and I haven’t signed any forms releasing you.” Celestia gave him a smirk. “That’s one nice thing about paperwork; it can come in handy at the oddest times.”

He bowed again, this time much deeper. “I cannot tell you how much that means to me.”

Celestia addressed the group. “Come this way, we will be eating soon. The head chef is a master at this art, but he does tend to get a little upset if his guests are not on time to enjoy his efforts.”

As they made their way to the dining room, Vigil noted how little had changed in the castle since he had visited. There were different ponies in the halls, the royal guards’ uniforms had changed in their design, but the structure itself seemed untouched by time, much like the princesses who ruled from it.

Another pair of guards opened the doors to the dining room for the group, and Vigil had a sudden feeling of unease.

Celestia caught his hesitation. “My sister will not treat you unkindly.” Celestia gave Vigil a comforting look. “She has read Twilight’s letter and knows what happened to you.”

He silently prayed to the very being that was speaking to him that she was right. Luna was waiting for the group in the dining room. She sat at the end of the table, across from an empty seat that was reserved for Celestia.

After Luna’s return, Celestia had made it a point for them to sit across from each other, even when meeting with heads of other nations. She had lost Luna once due to her unfounded fears that her night was unloved and she was not the ruler that Celestia was. Celestia was never going to allow such a loss to happen again. Sitting across from her sister served as subtle reminder to Luna that they were equal in power and in the love of their ponies.

As the group came in, Luna stood and approached Vigil. She looked him over and regarded the gem in his chest. “Thou have had an interesting thousand years as well, tis a pity that your trials are not over. Before we dine, there is an issue between us that must be addressed. My sister has informed me that you still doubt you performed your duties according to your oath. You seem to think that you failed us, your fellow crystal ponies, and yourself.”

“Princess Luna, I cannot avoid the fact that I put the very ponies I was to protect through…”

“Silence,” there was just enough of the Royal Canterlot Voice in the command that it was clear Luna would not tolerate such talk from the stallion. “I will ask you questions and you shall answer.” The other ponies in the room, barring Celestia, were stunned at the princess’ tone.

Rarity began to say something to Luna, when a pure white foreleg wrapped itself around her shoulders. Celestia leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Wait and watch. My sister knows what she is doing.”

Luna began. “Captain, what was the last order that you received before being isolated from us here in Equestria?”

Vigil’s answer came quickly. “That I should prevent the harm of ponies from any and all harm till help arrived.”

“Did you follow that order?”

“I tried to, princess.”

Luna sharply cut her eyes at him. “You will answer yes or no from now on. You may also drop my title, or this shall become tedious. Is that clear?”

“Yes.”

“Before using the artifact, did you attempt to protect the crystal ponies to the best of your abilities?”

“Yes.”

Luna began to circle him as she asked her questions. “Did you manage the guard properly and ensure that Discord’s influence was lessened to the greatest extent you could?”

“Yes.”

She closed a little closer to Vigil with each circle. “Did you face widespread civil unrest due the prolonged isolation that the Empire faced?”

“Yes.”

“Were ponies hurt when the council leaders tried their experiments on the Crystal Heart?”

“Yes.” The memory seemed to play before his eyes. It was plain the images of the wounded ponies still bothered him.

“Did you make the agreement with the Council to prevent other injuries?”

“Yes.”

“Did you use the horn in order to keep your word, protect innocent ponies, and to have a chance at driving off Discord?”

Vigil swallowed before answering, “Yes.”

“Were you in control of yourself after the horn gained its influence on you?”

“No,” was his shaky answer.

With that answer, Luna stood in front of Vigil barely a foreleg’s distance away. “Do you believe the princess before you is a monster?”

Vigil almost came out of attention in shock at the question. “No!”

“Look at me.” Vigil did so, and saw the tears in her eyes. “I know what it is like to lose one’s self to darkness. I succumbed to the nightmare forces I had so long battled, after the exhausting struggle with Discord. Under those influences, I turned into Nightmare Moon and committed acts that made anything Sombra did pale in comparison. Had my sister not stopped me, I would have ended all life in this world. You too were taken hostage in your own body by dark powers. Neither you nor I are monsters, just victims of fate. We did what we could to protect the ponies in our care and we were deeply wounded in our efforts, nothing more and nothing less. Had you not made your promise and used the horn, I assure you other ponies would have been grievously injured or killed by the Heart’s powers. It was not crafted for use in war, and no pony should have ever attempted to use in such a fashion.”

Luna gently put her hoof on the gem in his chest. “Captain, you bear guilt for actions that you did not commit. You have paid a terrible cost for your adherence to your duty both physically and mentally. As your princess and commander, I hereby judge that you are guiltless in the events that occurred in the Crystal Empire. I hold the creature Sombra solely responsible for committing grave sins against ponies, and he has paid the ultimate price for his wickedness. You performed your duties as a captain of the Lancer’s without fault, and you should be proud that you did so in such dark times. You may now speak freely.”

Despite having permission, Vigil could not say much at all. “Thank you, princess.” The relief in his voice said more than his words did.

Luna dropped her hoof from his chest. “I will be accompanying you to the Crystal Empire on the morrow. I shall help you purge this gem from your flesh. Returning the Empire will not be easy for you, and I will be there to render what aid I can.”

Rarity released her held breath. Celestia patted her back. “My sister is not as tender as a healer, but sometimes her methods reach ponies that I cannot.”

*****

After the meal, Luna had to return to her duties. The rest of the dinner group decided to visit different parts of the castle. Celestia and Twilight headed towards the castle’s library to discuss magical theory and application. Fluttershy went to the gardens to try to apologize to the critters for her behavior during the Gala. Applejack ventured to the royal orchard. Rainbow and Pinkie decided that sneaking into the kitchens for a little more dessert would be fun and delicious. Vigil and Rarity found themselves heading towards the hedge labyrinth.

They paused at the statue of Discord, which stood near the entrance to the maze. Vigil looked at his fallen foe with a mixture of relief and anger. “If he would have just listened to reason, all of this could have been avoided.” He turned away and headed toward the maze. “I guess that is a little too much to ask for the embodiment of chaotic forces.”

“Celestia believes that all beings should be given a chance to reform. He may be able to someday.” Rarity turned and followed Vigil into to the verdant hallways.

“Celestia treated me with understanding and benevolence when I didn’t think I merited it, maybe he deserves it too.” He snorted as he mulled over his words. “I would have never thought I would actually feel sympathy for the monster.”

They walked in silence for a few minutes, weaving aimless through the maze. They came across an elegant gazebo with lovely flowers growing up a lattice work. Rarity reached out and touched one of the closed blossoms. “Pity they’re not open. They must be marvelous when they are in bloom.” They took a seat on the bench under the gazebo, and studied the moon.

Rarity smiled at thought of all the recent changes that had occurred in the world. “It’s strange to associate the moon with Luna now. Since I was a filly it was Celestia’s responsibility, along with raising the sun.”

Vigil understood the idea, but from another viewpoint. “The thought of Luna not being here in Equestria for so long that ponies forgot about her is something that has flummoxed me. She was such a part of our lives. The very concept of her being gone is something I can’t imagine.” He turned to her, and cautiously extended a hoof to take hers. “I know I said this to you and the others over dinner, but I feel like I should say it again, especially to you. You don’t have to come with me to the Crystal Empire. I don’t know what will happen once I get there. I don’t want you getting pulled into something that could get you hurt. You’ve already done so much for me, I can’t ask for anything more.”

“I’m going with you, and that’s final. I started this, I will finish it.”

“You started it on accident.” He patted the gem in his chest. “You had no control over getting this gem in your order.”

She smiled. “True, but I’m not going to let you go into such a situation without a friend by your side.”

At the world “friend” he took a steadying breath. He extended his other hoof and took her free one. “That’s something I wanted to talk to you about.” She looked at him with widening eyes, as she became aware of where the conversation was going. “You have helped in ways that I will never be able to adequately repay. You’ve saved me, given me shelter and food, and supported me at the lowest points in my life. After all of this is over, I want to return to Ponyville and help you complete the project for Fancy Pants.”

“I haven’t ‘given’ you anything. You’ve been working your tail off around the boutique. Even when you were supposed to be resting, you insisted on running around town doing errands. You’ve cooked, kept me from overworking, you’ve modeled, and you’ve been a blessing all the way around. You don’t have to leave your home so soon after getting back just to help me.”

“Celestia and Luna may have forgiven me, which helps more than I could put into words, but there is a part of me that has not forgiven me for my actions. I don’t think I would be comfortable living among the ponies I had enslaved. I have no family to speak of, and I know that the Lancers are under a new commander. My life in the Empire, for all intents and purposes, is done. I have friends there, sure, but the rest of my life there is gone. If I have to start over, I want it to be someplace new. A place that I am comfortable with, a place with somepony I care for. I’ve only known you for a short while, but you have become a cornerstone in my life.” He raised one of her hooves, and gently kissed it. “I’ll return to Ponyville after all this, and get a place of my own. And, if you wish to, I would like to see where our friendship could lead us.”

She smiled at the thought. “That sounds wonderful, but don’t close off choices for yourself too soon. You don’t know what will happen in the Crystal Empire. I would hate for you to give up on your old life too quickly, especially on my account.”

“Whether I pick up my old life or start a new one, I want you to be a part of it.”

He wrapped his forelegs around and she returned the gesture. They sat that way, watching the moon and enjoying the tender contact, for quite some time.

Chapter 4: The Challenges of Going Home

A smaller group than the one that had arrived in Canterlot stepped off the train and onto the Crystal Empire’s platform. Assured by Vigil that everything would turn out just fine, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie had returned to Ponyville: Applejack to tend her farm, Fluttershy to care for her animals, and Pinkie to help with Sugar Cube Corner and the twins.

Luna, as promised, had traveled with them and had relished in the thought of returning to the Empire. She enjoyed the train ride almost as much as Vigil had the ride from Ponyville to Canterlot. During the trip to the Empire, Vigil had been much more subdued. The gem had begun to flare more often, and the pain increased with each pulse. As he stepped onto Empire soil, he smiled. Even in the face of his fears, he felt relieved to be back in the country he had called home.

Rainbow looked around, seemingly insulted. “Where’s the welcoming committee? There’s no Shining, no guards, no Cadence, no anypony. What gives?”

Luna grinned. “Celestia and I didn’t give them any hint we were coming. The first rule in a contest of arms is not to give your opponent any more information than necessary.” She began to lead them toward the palace, humming as if she were walking in the gardens of the castle.

Twilight looked at the princess in disbelief. “You think we’re going to have to fight to get Vigil to the Crystal Heart? It’s my B.B.B.F.F. and Cadence you’re talking about, not a pair of dragons guarding their hoard.”

Luna’s tone was untroubled, as she explained, “I don’t think the conflict will be with your brother and my adopted niece. Upon the wedding of Cadence and Shining, the council agreed to return the rule of the Empire back to the royal family without dispute, so long as certain terms were met. After some negotiations, an accord was reached so that Cadence and Shining could take their rightful places. The accord held that all rules of conduct passed by the council would stand as law for any events that took place during the Empire’s isolation. The council also demanded that the decisions they made during the time of strife were not to be judged as crimes. The key action that they sought immunity from was the attempted misuse of the Crystal Heart. There is one wrinkle to the accord that will come into play with Vigil’s situation. The council can be briefly reconvened to judge crimes that had been committed during their control of the Empire, so long as all the members are still alive, which is the case.”

Luna turned to Rarity. “While the council’s laws no longer hold sway, the council still has the power to judge crimes that occurred during their governance. You named Glittering Stone as the pony who sold you the gems. He is on the council. I’m sure he will stir up trouble in a futile attempt to save his own hide. Knowingly hiding the nature of a dangerous artifact and selling it to an unsuspecting pony is a crime.”

Vigil snorted in disgust. “There is no doubt in my mind that Stone used his wealth to purchase his council seat in some underhooved manner. No sane citizen of the Empire would have entrusted their future to him. It was an open secret that he dealt with most of the less reputable names in the Empire and beyond. He was also known for price gouging during the crisis, especially when supplies ran low. I would have to send a couple of Lancers every now and then to politely remind him that such a thing was a crime against the Empire, whether he was on the council or not. Needless to say, he is not fond of me.”

Rainbow flew close to Luna. “You think he’s going to give us trouble?” Luna nodded. Rainbow stage whispered, “Just give me a description of him, and I can make sure that he is unavailable until Vigil is through with that gem.”

Luna gave the flying pony an amused looked. “As much as that thought appeals to me, I cannot condone it. We will have to deal with Stone with a little more cunning.”

Rarity heard something in the princess’ voice that made her smile. “I take it you already have something in mind?”

“Oh yes. It will be glorious.”

Vigil winced at Luna’s words. The last time he had heard Luna say that something was going to be “glorious” it involved driving off some of Discord’s creations that had been ruining what was left of the Empire’s crops. The mission had been dangerous, long, and tough. He didn’t want to know what kind of trouble they were about to get into if the princess was right about Stone.

Rainbow shrugged and offered, “We could just slip Vigil right up to the Crystal Heart. It’s right in front of the palace, it would be easy. One magical wave later and poof, he’s free of the gem.”

Vigil smiled at the idea, but shook his head. “I wish it were that easy. The heart is only placed in front of the palace on Crystal Empire holidays and when important dignitaries visit. It’s kept at the top of the palace the rest of the time. That way it’s protected and its magic can reach further into the world.

The Crystal Empire’s inherent magic began to work on Vigil. His coat shimmered with a sliver light like moonlight across the bottom of a pool of water. His mane resembled living flows of obsidian glass.

Twilight looked him over and lit her horn. “I forgot that you were a crystal pony. Hold still, I’m going to cast an examination spell. I’ve wanted to know what magic caused this effect. I have your baselines, so now I will understand what forces cause the change.”

“For the love of Luna, no more examination spells, especially not in the middle of the street!” He turned to the princess he had named in vain and apologized.

She snickered as she tried to keep from laughing. “No offense taken. It’s nice to know that I am thought of highly enough in some parts of Equestria that my affections are still called upon.”

“Captain Vigil?” A lancer queried from across the street. The armored pony hesitantly began heading for the group. “Is that really you captain?”

Vigil stood still, not sure how the reunion would turn out. “Yes, Brass Ring, it’s me.”

Brass all but bowled Vigil over when he embraced him. “We thought you were gone! We saw the Crystal Heart destroy Sombra. We thought we had lost you too!”

“Brass, as much as I appreciate the greeting, that armor hurts.”

Ring released Vigil from the hug, but kept his hooves on his captain’s shoulders. “I thought you were dead! I can’t believe your back!”

“This lovely mare and her friends saved me.” Vigil pointed to Rarity. “Without their help, I wouldn’t have made it back.”

Brass stepped over to Rarity and bowed. “Thank you for returning our captain. The new captain is a solid commander, but he can’t handle a lance to save his soul.”

“That’s my brother you’re talking about.” Twilight’s horn was still lit from her preparation for the examination spell, and she looked ready to do violence.

Brass quickly backed away from the irritated unicorn. “I meant no offense, but it’s the truth!” He continued to retreat, and backed into Luna, which caused him to stumble and sit down. He looked up, noting the warmth against his back, and his eyes widened as Luna smiled down at him.

She patted Brass’ helmeted head. “Greetings Brass Ring, I’m glad to see that you are so pleased to see your captain again. He was worried that ponies would assail him with rotten vegetables upon sight.”

Brass scampered to his feet and bowed to the princess. “I’m sorry your highness! Please forgive my bumping into you, and please forgive my rudeness in not welcoming you first!”

She waved his words away with a hoof. “No formalities needed with me this day. I’m here to lend aid to my friends, not in my role as princess of Equestria. It’s not every day somepony you once thought was dead appears in the street, so it’s quite understandable.”

Brass turned back to Vigil and started to say something. He stopped mid-word when he noticed the gem in his captain’s chest. “Captain, please tell me that’s not what I think it is.”

Vigil gave him a sad nod. “It is. It’s the core of the horn.” At that moment, the gem flared causing Vigil to gasp in pain.

Luna’s eyes narrowed. “The gem’s power is waning faster. Let us not linger here.”

“It will kill you, won’t it captain?” Brass’ orange eyes showed his fear for the health of his commander.

“That’s what we’re afraid of, if I cannot get access to the Crystal Heart.” Vigil answered, when he got his breath back.

“Leave it to me captain.” Brass took point for the group. “Clear the way! Princess Luna and captain Vigil are passing through! Clear this street!”

Rainbow laughed as the group started to move again. “So much for making a sneaky entrance, we’re literally being announced to the whole kingdom.”

Luna’s smile lacked some of the mirth that it had possessed earlier. “True, but now speed may be more of a pressing matter than subterfuge.”

*****

“What’s taking them so long?” Rainbow groused.

Twilight scanned over the book that Luna had given her. Luna had instructed her to look over a certain section of the Empire’s laws before she and Vigil had gone into the throne room to face the now gathered council, Shining Armor, and Cadence. “Considering it took less than an hour for the Lancers to gather the council members for an emergency session, it’s going very quickly. We didn’t even have a chance to really speak with Shining or Cadence to say hello, much less tell them about what is going on.”

Rarity tried to appear completely composed. She did an admirable job, but she would occasionally fidget and show her concern. “Twilight, what is Luna having you read?”

Twilight thumped the pages with a hoof. “It’s something about making a challenge to be able to be granted access to the Crystal Heart. I don’t really understand what it has to do with what is going on.”

Rainbow continued to fly in constrained, concerned circles around the room. “I don’t know either, but it sounds awesome.”

The doors to the throne room opened. It was difficult for the gathered ponies to judge what had happened. Luna was smiling with unabashed glee, and Vigil looked as if he were going to be physically ill.

Luna immediately explained, “It went better than I expected. The hearing was short and productive, which is quite unusual for things of this nature. Vigil has been formally acquitted of all crimes by a vote of eight to one. There is a slight concern in gaining him access to the Crystal Heart, but we will have that sorted out once I speak with Cadence and Shining. Twilight, is the section of law that I asked you to check still valid?”

Twilight nodded over the edge of the book. “Yes, but why is that so important?”

Vigil despondently answered, “Because I’ve been formally barred from approaching the Crystal Heart by the council. It takes a unanimous vote to be granted that honor, and I failed by one vote.”

Rarity ground her teeth. “Let me guess whose vote it was.”

Luna nodded, confirming Rarity’s intuition. “Do not fret. There is always another option, or even two, if the situation calls for it.”

Cadence came rushing from the throne room, having finished the formalities of disbanding the council again, and hugged Luna. I’m so sorry! I thought you were brilliant in his defense.”

Vigil grimly smiled. “She was perfect. She got my name cleared, but that pile of wendigo droppings would see me dead if he had the chance.”

Shining stepped into the entrance hall, making sure he was between Vigil and the departing council members. “They’re all good ponies Vigil. Well, almost all of them.”

“I know. There is only one bad one in that lot, and he really showed his fat flank today.” Vigil had been impressed by the new captain of the Lancers. It was a relief to see that his former troops were in good hooves, and not under the command of some incompetent political appointee.

“Since you’re both here, we can address our new issue with all due haste.” Luna released Cadence. “I hereby formally request the Three Tiered Challenge for Vigil. What say you?”

Both Cadence and Shining looked at her as if she had lost her mind. Cadence delicately asked, “What are you talking about?”

Brass Ring cut in, “The Three Tiered Challenge is used when a pony feels they have the right to approach the Crystal Heart, yet have barred from it due to a formal ruling. The challenger must face three challenges, typically martial in nature, and win two of the three to gain access to the Heart. The test was created to allow potentially wronged ponies to reach the heart, and keep those with evil thoughts from getting too close to the heart.”

Luna smiled at the lancer. “Well recalled, but you left out one important detail. In the event of a tie with the challenges, the challenger’s second is allowed to face one of the trials to break the impasse.”

Twilight looked up from the book. “You’re right. How did you two know all of that?”

Brass rubbed his neck, embarrassed by the number of eyes that fell upon him. “I planned on becoming a Lancer since I was small. Besides learning all of their training exercises, I learned all I could about the Lancer’s history. The Challenge has been invoked on a couple of occasions, and Lancers were always called upon to be the opponents during the challenge.”

As Rainbow completed another cramped circle around the room, Luna gestured to her and Brass. Rainbow flew close to the princess. Luna slipped her a piece of paper, whispered some instructions, and then wished the pegasus luck. “Brass, you are to accompany this mare and ensure that nopony interferes with the tasks I have given her. In whatever manner you can, lend her your aid and knowledge. Make haste, yours is a vital effort that will have far reaching ramifications if you succeed.” Rainbow and Brass both saluted, and then sped out of the castle.

Luna turned back to Twilight and shrugged. “As for my knowledge of the Challenge, I wrote the law. I should know what it contains.” She regarded the ruling pair. “We need your answer. This stallion is hard pressed for time.”

Cadence and Shining answered in unison, “We agree.”

“You can’t do that!” A corpulent, golden coated stallion with a green mane, who had been eavesdropping the entire time, stormed towards the group. “He was forbidden access to the Crystal Heart by the council! That’s the end of it!”

Shining stepped in front of the irate pony and put his hoof on his sword. “Stone, halt right there. I’ll cut you down if I need to.”

Luna leveled an icy stare at the disreputable stallion. “This is not a matter for the council. This law predates the council’s conception and cannot be interfered with by its members under the terms of the accord. This is also a new issue before the currently ruling ponies of this Empire, since the council was officially disbanded minutes ago.”

The stallion fumed, “So two traitors to this nation are trying to circumvent the law and it will be allowed to stand?!”

Luna’s horn lit and her eyes glowed as she tapped into her magic.

Stone stumbled back at the display of power. “Now you’re threating me?!”

Luna addressed him in the Royal Canterlot Voice, “No, you foal; I just saved your life. Look upon the captain’s sword.” Stone blanched as he saw Shining’s muscles strain against Luna’s magic in an attempt to draw his blade. “Leave our presence till tomorrow. You are to attend the Challenge without fail or tardiness, under pain of imprisonment if you fail to do so.”

Stone left with all the quickness his unhealthily thick legs could muster. Luna released Shining’s sword from her magical grip, and it flashed through the air at a stunning speed.

Shining bowed to her, fearing he had overstepped himself. “Princess, my apologies, I was only going to hit him with the flat of the blade for insulting you and Vigil.”

Luna gave him an amused grin. “I had guessed as much, but we need him whole and healthy for tomorrow.”

Rarity looked as if she were thinking about taking after Stone herself. “I wish I could get my hooves on that slimly excuse of a pony.”

Luna’s smile grew to an almost unhealthy width. “You may yet have your wish.”

After a brief discussion, Twilight, Luna, Cadence, and Shining headed towards the palace’s royal quarters to catch up on royal and family matters. Vigil and Rarity wandered the halls of the palace, with Vigil acting as tour guide. Vigil caught sight of an older pony coming down the hall, as they neared where the Lancers were housed, and whistled sharply to get his attention. “Hey, you’re out of uniform! You don’t have that feather duster of yours!”

The stallion’s eyes lit up, as he recognized who was heckling him. “It can’t be! Vigil! You’re dead!”

“I’m doing well for somepony suffering from that condition.” Vigil shook hooves with the stallion. “I’m glad to see you. Rarity, this fine stallion is Cozy Room. He is in charge of keeping the palace habitable and making sure that guests and residents are comfortable.”

The ruddy coated stallion bowed to her, making his long, blue locks fall in front his eyes. “He makes it sound as if I do something important. I am merely head of the castle support staff.”

Vigil patted Cozy’s shoulder. “He also makes all the purchases of the palace and Lancer’s supplies, is in charge of storage, the kitchens, and practically anything else that functions around here.”

Cozy vigorously shook his head. “Not true. My wife is in absolute control of the infirmary, you know that.” Cozy smiled, as a thought occurred to him. “Speaking of her, you’ll want to speak to my lovely wife about that item that you left with her, I would assume.”

Vigil nodded. “That is part of it, but I wanted to see you and her too. You both are dear friends. Having gone through what I have, I have come to appreciate the friends that I have all the more.”

Cozy’s smile faded at Vigils words. “It’s always the tragedies that allow us to learn what we really need to value. Come with me, Mend is treating some fool recruit who pushed himself a little too hard.”

They made their way to the infirmary. A pink coated, silver maned pony was delicately putting away a set of crystals into a padded box, and not so delicately dressing down the recruit. “You foal! You could have been seriously hurt! That record was set by a veteran with years of training and experience, not by a wet behind the ears recruit.”

“Yes mam.” The recruit tenderly got to his feet, from the pad he had been laying on, taking care with his left hind leg.

“Don’t act like you’re still hurt. I’ve made sure that you’re all but back to normal. Whatever good that will do you if you keep pulling stunts like that.” The mare snapped shut the case with a little more force than was necessary.

Vigil was glad to see that some things had certainly not changed in the palace. “Tender Mend, please don’t terrorize the recruits more than I do. You’ll make me look like a softy.”

Mend’s head snapped around, and she covered her mouth with a hoof when she saw Vigil. Her voice held tears, as she asked, “Vigil is it really you?”

Vigil embraced the mare. “It’s the very same Lancer you’ve been treating for all these years.”

The recently healed recruit was stone still for a moment. He was equally stunned by the fact that Vigil had returned and that he dared embrace the notoriously strict healer. He reached out, and touched Vigil on the shoulder. “Captain, it is you.”

Vigil grinned at the young Lancer. “Wild Wind, it’s good to see you. I take it you were trying to beat my record on the course again?”

The recruit fidgeted. “Yes and no sir. The current record was set by Shining Armor, sir.”

Vigil felt a slight sting to his pride. “Well, at least the new captain is in fighting shape.”

The recruit looked to his captain expectantly. “I take it you won’t be staying, sir?”

Vigil shook his head. “There is a possibility that I won’t have any long term planning to do at all. Right now I’m not certain of anything, thanks to this.” He patted the gem in his chest. He briefly explained the situation with the gem, and how tomorrow would decide any number of things for him.

“May I have permission to speak freely, sir?”

Vigil internally grinned, knowing Wind would certainly let fly with whatever was running through his head. “Of course, speak your mind.”

Wind all but pleaded, “If you survive this, which I know you will, please consider coming back permanently. Shining may be good on the course, but he sucks with a lance. Brass Ring beats him every time they joust with just three passes. Shining may be a captain, but he’s certainly no Lancer.”

Vigil laughed so hard that he had to hold onto his sides. Rarity asked Wind, “Is Brass that good?”

Wind shrugged. “Brass is good, don’t get me wrong, but Shining is horrible. With a sword Shining is plain scary, but if you give him a lance he hardly knows how to properly hold it. Vigil is the best of us without a doubt. He didn’t get his cutie mark for nothing.”

Rarity glanced at the pair of crossed lances on Vigil’s flank. “He’s that skilled?”

Wind smiled, and stated with no small amount of pride, “Our captain is the best in all of Equestria.”

“Get out of here Wind, and tell Rough I’ll see him soon.” Vigil shook the recruit’s hoof, and sent him off.

As soon as Wind left, Mend gave Vigil a key. “The room is just as you left it. I told Cozy you would be back.”

“Thank you, I was worried that it would have cleaned it out by now.” He looked down at the key, lost in thought.

Rarity looked at Mend’s mane with poorly concealed envy. “Your mane is stunning. I wish the Crystal Heart’s power affected me like that all the time.”

Mend seemed to take note of Rarity for the first time. “Vigil, who is this mare and what is she doing in this part of the palace?”

“This is the lady Rarity, the mare who saved me from my imprisonment. She is the bearer of the Element of Generosity, and…”

Mend held her hoof up and Vigil immediately went silent. The healer finished his sentence, “And the mare that has caught your eye.”

“I was going to say took me in when I had no place else to go, but the other is true as well.” Vigil turned to Rarity. “Cozy and Mend are like second parents to me. My parents died not long after I joined the Lancers. They learned about their deaths and have been looking out for me ever since.”

Cozy pulled Vigil shoulder to should with him with a foreleg. “Tell us what happened.”

Vigil explained what had occurred and the challenges he would be facing. Cozy nodded sagely at the end of the tale. “Good thing I kept ponies from your room then. You’ll find all your gear is still there. You better get going. Make sure that you have everything you will need. If you lack for anything, come see me and I’ll get it.”

Vigil hugged Cozy. “I will. Thank you so much for everything.” He gave Mend another hug. “Thank you for believing I would come back.”

“You’re going to make me cry and ruin my reputation. Go on.” She patted his back, and then pushed him towards the hall. After the pair had taken a couple of steps down the hall, Mend’s voice carried to them, “You better make her mane her like mine, or I’ll have your ears!”

*****

Vigil unlocked the door and slowly opened it. Cozy and Mend were right, nothing had been moved. He walked into the small room and smiled at the familiar sight.

“You lived in a storage closet?” Rarity looked around the small room, amazed that the captain of the Lancers wasn’t afforded better living quarters. There were stands for Vigil’s armor and weapons, a couple of chests for his personal items, an unframed mirror on the wall, and two pencil drawings of ponies that she assumed to be his parents, and a cot, nothing else.

Vigil chuckled. “That’s exactly what this room used to be. They moved me closer to the castle proper when I became captain. I didn’t want to be so far from the Lancer’s quarters, so I worked a deal with Cozy and set up my room here.”

Rarity slipped on a pair of his sparring gloves with practiced ease. They were big for her, but she laced them down tightly to fit. “You will win tomorrow.” She lashed through a combination in the air fast enough for Vigil to wonder if he needed to step back or not.

“I’ll be up against the best the guard has to offer. It’s not a certainty.”

She lightly struck him on the shoulder. “Both Lancers I’ve met look up to you due to your skill. You have the talent. You just have to go out there and kick some flank.”

She started another series of strikes to the air, but he caught her hooves before she could complete the first flurry. “Rarity, I want to talk to you about what Mend said.”

“Giving me a mane like hers?” She smiled and gently pulled her padded hooves from his. “I think she was just pulling your tail.”

“No, she wasn’t. Any crystal pony can do it, but it has a meaning to crystal ponies that you might not know about.”

Rarity grinned at his awkwardness, before asking him, “Why so bashful all of the sudden?” She removed her hooves from the sparring gloves and returned them to their rightful place.

“To give the shimmer to a non-native crystal pony is seen as being about one step away from engagement with that pony. I didn’t know if you wanted ponies to think that about us or not. It’s still early in our relationship, and I didn’t…”

She covered his mouth with a hoof. “Let them think whatever they want.”

He nodded and smiled at her acceptance. “Just close your eyes.” He pulled her into an hug and kissed her forehead just under her horn. He led her in front of the mirror. “Now, open them.”

She watched in fascination as the shimmer began to spread from the spot that he had kissed her. Soon her coat and mane returned to the same luster and brilliance that they had when the Crystal Heart had touched her with its power.

He leaned in close to her. “It’s said the shimmer allows ponies to see how beautiful a pony is on the inside. This must be true, because I have never seen a mare as magnificent as you look right now. Your compassion, generosity, and understanding have lit up my world, but were hidden for only me to see. Now everypony will see the light that you bring to my life.”

In response, she put a hoof to his cheek and pulled him into a kiss.

After too short a moment, the pair was interrupted by a trio of ponies clapping. They broke the kiss and turned to their unexpected audience. Luna, Rainbow, and Brass were at the doorway, grinning like mad ponies.

Rarity gathered herself enough to ask, “How long have you been there?”

Rainbow gave her a smile that would have made Pinkie proud. “Right before he kissed you the first time. Your coltfriend really knows what to say, I would have kissed him too.”

“Captain, you’ve got to save your strength for tomorrow. Though I can see why you would be tempted to get some warm up time in right now.” Brass was lightly cuffed by Luna for his cheek.

Luna scolded, with mock authority, “Enough from the both of you. We came to inform this pair that dinner will be served shortly, not to enjoy a show.” Even having just reprimanded her cohorts, she added to Vigil and Rarity, “Should we leave the door open, or should we shut it so that you two can have dessert first?”

The two ponies in the room blushed and followed the laughing trio towards the dining hall.

Chapter 5: Three Contests and Three Hearts

Vigil followed Luna towards the stadium. The princess had insisted that they wait and allow the others to reach the stadium before them. She had given him a pep talk and helped him into his armor, making sure that enough time passed during the process to give the others an adequate lead. After he was secure in his jousting regiments, they followed. She cast a veil around them, ensuring they could not been seen or heard. She also made sure he could not hear outside the spell’s reach. She explained the spell was to keep anypony from distracting him before the Challenge.

Vigil was not a foal, and wanted to know what was in store for him. “Princess, what is going on?”

Luna’s eyes shown with mischief, as she replied, “You’ll see soon enough. I think this day will prove to be one of the more memorable ones in your life.” She turned and stopped him, before they entered through one of the side entrances to the stadium. “If you had any fears as to how ponies would react to your return before this day, I assure you those thoughts will end by the time this Challenge is over. She pulled open the door with her magic, and dropped the concealing veil. Vigil staggered past her with his mouth open.

The stadium was all but full with ponies, all ready to see a show of skill. He looked to Luna in disbelief. “This is crazy! I thought the Challenge would have been carried out in front of a few ponies from the castle and the Lancers, not half the Empire!”

Luna did not even attempt to hide her smile. “I had Rainbow and Brass complete a few tasks for me yesterday. Getting ponies to come here was the least of their accomplishments. Now come on, I’m eager to see the Lancers in action again. Celestia may have her esteemed Royal Guards and the Wonderbolts, but my Lunar Guards and Lancers have always been the best guardians of Equestria. You shall remind them of that this day.”

The pair made their way into the stadium and the crowd fell silent. Vigil and Luna stood before the platform of raised seats reserved for the royal family. Vigil got another shock as he saw Celestia and the full count of the Elements of Harmony on the platform alongside Cadence and Shining.

Cadence stepped forward and addressed the crowd. For the first time in her royal duties, she used the Royal Empire Voice. She told of Vigil’s trials from his time in the mannequin form, about the council’s rulings (when the crowd learned of the barring of Vigil from the Crystal Heart there were dark mutterings towards a certain council member), and the invocation of the Challenge. “My ponies, today Stalwart Vigil will face three challenges. The first will be a jousting match against Brass Ring, the current rings lancing champion of the Empire. The second will be a contest of martial arts against Rough Edge, the finest combat instructor of Lancers. The final challenge will be a race against Wild Wind on the Lancer’s obstacle course.”

A single voice cried out, “I must protest! These ponies are the captain’s friends! They will throw their matches with him!”

Cadence turned towards the voice. “Glittering Stone, come forward.” The stallion did so, leaving the bleachers he had been seated in. “Since you feel this way, I nominate you to be the second on the side of the Lancers. Do you accept?”

Now that his own coat was on the line, Stone started to back pedal. “Shining Armor should be the second. He is a Royal Guard. I’m just a humble gem merchant.”

“My husband may not be the second, as he is part of the royal family and is barred from the honor. As a council member, I would have thought you would have taken the opportunity to ensure that these challenges are conducted fairly.”

Trapped by Cadence’s cunning words, and his own foolish outburst, he hesitantly nodded. Sweat appeared on his brow from all the hostile attention he had garnered.

Luna smiled wickedly. She whispered to herself, “Well played Cadence. That was even better than what I had planned to ensnare him.”

Vigil risked giving the lunar princess a brief glance. Why do I feel like I’m a playing a part in a game I don’t even know the rules to?

Cadence turned to Luna. “Has Stalwart Vigil’s second been decided?”

Luna nodded. “The Element of Generosity, Rarity, has volunteered to be his second.”

Vigil’s eyes widened in shock, but he still remained at attention. No, no, no! It was supposed to be one of the Lunar Guards!

Luna sensed Vigil’s turmoil, and whispered to him, “Rarity has stood firm against manticores, Nightmare Moon, changeling invasions, dragons, and Discord himself. She will fare well. Besides, she only will get embroiled in these events if something happens to you.” Luna patted him on the shoulder, and went up to take her place on the platform.

The grounds ponies quickly prepared the pitch for the joust. Brass Ring warmed up as things were put in place by showing off his ability to precisely put his lance through small metal rings set upon posts of differing heights. This got the crowd to cheering and primed for the joust itself. Vigil shook his head, but could not help but grin at his friend. “He always has to show off.”

Rarity made her way from the platform and stood by Vigil. “It seems he earned his cutie mark of a lance going through a ring honestly. How many runs will it take for you to beat him?”

Vigil confidently answered, “Just three.” Rarity’s look made it clear she thought he was boasting a little. The joust preparations were completed, and the judge signaled the two into position. “I’ll explain when I get back.” He lowered his helm into place, and headed toward the first challenge.

Vigil took his lance from Wild Wind. (A Lancer giving the challenger his lance was not considered out of line, but common courtesy.) He waited, and the judge signaled the start with a blast from his flugelhorn. The two skilled warriors rushed towards each other without hesitation. Vigil knocked Brass’ lance downward at the last second, just before the two struck each other. Brass’ strike was a glancing blow to Vigil’s armor; Vigil left Brass in a heap of armor and hooves with a strike to the shoulder. The crowd cheered its appreciation for the skills of both jousters. The second run unfolded much the same. Brass struck a ringing blow to Vigil’s helmet, and Vigil knocked Brass off his hooves.

Vigil gritted his teeth behind his helm, knowing what he had to do. Brass had adjusted for his previous technique, and had nearly taken his head off with the last pass. Sorry Brass, this is going to sting. The third run began. Vigil did not use the same tactic he had for the last two runs. He expertly swept Brass’ lance upward, completely out of play, and knocked his opponent flat on his back by slamming the shaft of his lance into Brass’ chest as he passed. The sound of the wood connecting with Brass’ armor rang through the stadium. There was a collective intake of breath, as Mend rushed over to the upended form of Brass.

“Colt, you better talk to me or I’m going to get rough quick.” Mend started to pat Brass down, looking for serious injury.

Brass barely wheezed, “Just need air.”

Mend waved that Brass was not seriously injured, and the crowd applauded the match with a throaty roar.

Cadence declared, “Stalwart Vigil has won the first challenge. He will have half an hour to recover, and then the second challenge will begin.”

Rarity stomped in applause with the rest of the crowd. As Vigil came close she helped him remove his helm. “I almost feel sorry for Brass. You leveled the poor thing. Not to question your skills, but I would have thought the match would have been closer.”

“Brass is good with a lance, but his main skill is in trick jousting, not combat. That’s where I have the upper hoof. In a rings contest, he would take me every time. Thankfully, jousting for rings is apparently not one of the possible challenges.” The gem flared under his armor, and he gasped as the pain raced through him. “That’s getting to be a real problem.” After getting himself collected, he gave her a slightly infuriated look. “Rarity, I don’t want to argue with you about it, but what were you thinking when you decided to become my second?”

Rarity smiled, and haughtily replied, “I assure you, there will be no argument. A lady enters into debates and does not lower herself to raising her voice. As for being your second, it only makes sense. None of the royal family could do it, due to the rules. Having a Lunar or Royal Guard as your second could insinuate that the princesses were not being unbiased. Since you gave the gift of the shimmer to me, it’s plain for all to see where my heart is in the matter. I also have years of martial arts training, so I’m not exactly a delicate flower.”

He could find no fault in any of her points. “You’re right; I can’t disagree at all.” He touched his nose to hers. “You’re definitely no shrinking violet, but a beautiful and fierce creature all of your own. I’m lucky to have you here today.”

Vigil rested and made sure to keep hydrated for the next challenge. As time drew near, he began to put on his sparring gear. Rarity noticed he was much tenser that when he had faced Brass. “Are you alright? You seemed worried about this one.”

Vigil nodded stiffly. “I certainly am. Rough Edge was the one who instructed me in hoof to hoof combat. This challenge is likely to be the worst for me. He knows every weakness I have, and he will stick to the rules and not go easy on me. I just hope to come out of this without any broken ribs.”

Rarity looked over at the tough looking purple pony. Rough was not as large as Big Macintosh, but he was close in build. “He certainly looks like a bruiser.”

“The only chance I have of coming out with a win is to use my speed and flexibility. You’ve shown me a couple of things that he won’t be ready for, maybe I can use that against him.” He took a deep breath. “If not, I just hope to come out this without an injury bad enough to ruin my run against Wind.”

Cadence called the two combatants to the newly prepared ring. She explained to them, and to the crowd, “This match will go continuously for five minutes. In order to win, you must knock your opponent out or get their body completely out of the ring three times. Take your places.”

The two faced each other in the wide chalk ring. They both readied themselves, knowing this was going to be a rough fight. A horn blasted for them to start. The joust had been a challenge of skill. Vigil now faced a challenge of ferocity. Rough gave no quarter, pounding Vigil at every opportunity. Vigil, in contrast, picked his moments and struck with precision. His disabling offensive blows, while fewer, slowly broke down Rough’s offensive momentum. The only pauses during the match came when one of the fighters managed to knock or throw the other out of the ring. The stallions’ grunts of pain, the slapping of the pads, and the hissing breaths with each unleashed strike echoed through the stadium. Blood and sweat fell on the grass, and some parents covered their foal’s eyes. The unabashed brutality of the fighting reminded the crowd that this was not a spectacle for their enjoyment, but what was potentially a life and death struggle.

The horn blared again, and the combatants quickly moved away from each other. Cadence’s magically enhanced voice called out the score, “The challenge results in a tie, with two points for each side. Well fought, both of you.”

Rough and Vigil bowed to her. Rough turned pulled Vigil to him, in a sportspony’s hug, and laughed. “You’ve improved since you’ve been dead. I owe you a drink! That’s the best match I’ve had in years!”

Vigil winced at the contact with his new bruises. He patted his instructor on the shoulder. “The usual spot, I take it?”

“You got it! The Crystal Trough is the only place for Lancers! Do me a favor, and leave Wind in your dust. He’s been getting more and more of an attitude since he started getting close to your old record.”

Vigil returned to his spot on the field. Rarity flinched at his appearance. She levitated a cold, wet towel, and patted his face, neck, and chest clean. His right eye was already swelling shut, and he had a bloody nose. She could only guess at the other injuries that he had suffered. “Are you going to be able to run like this?”

He nodded, and sniffed as a few more crimson drops escaped his nose. “I’ll make it. I’ve trained and run the course with worse. Sorry I didn’t get to use anything you taught me, I was just trying to walk out of the ring towards the end of it.”

She dabbed the cloth against his face again. “Of all the things you should be worrying about, and that crosses your mind? It looked to me that you gave as well as you got, my little tricks or no. His face didn’t look much different than yours.”

She cautiously helped him out of his pads. With each bruise and welt that was revealed, her trepidation grew. “You’ll need to get some more water in you. Stretching to keep your muscles from tightening up wouldn’t hurt either.”

Too soon for either of them, Cadence called Vigil to the final challenge. Rarity gave him a quick hug. “Good luck.”

The final challenge reminded Rarity of the course that Applejack would run to prepare for her competitions. There were gates to jump, pools of water to slog through, and a couple of climbing and balance obstacles, there was also a long sprint to the finish. Rarity hoped that Vigil’s slightly larger build would give him an advantage if it came down to sprinting section of the course being the deciding factor in the race.

Wind and Vigil stood side by side at the start. Wind looked over to Vigil, and gave him a friendly nod. Vigil nodded back, and did his best not to smile. At a signal from one of the judges, the racers took their marks. The horn blew, and the two sped away from the line. For the first portions of the race, the pair were dead even. The gates proved to be no problem for either of the ponies, and they flew over them with graceful leaps. The pools proved to be easy for the pair as well. The third and more complex leg was where Wind began to lose pace with Vigil. Vigil’s experience with the various obstacles that could be substituted in for the course gave him an edge. Even slowed by the beating that he had received, Vigil soon pulled a couple of lengths ahead of the recruit. The crowd erupted as Vigil made it past the last obstacle and lengthened his stride for the final sprint.

He never made it to the finish. The stone flared, and Vigil fell. His legs folded beneath him, and he rolled in a painful, uncontrolled tumble. Wind raced past him, determined not to let his captain down by not completing the race and jeopardizing all that Vigil had struggled for.

Vigil tried to get back to his hooves, but fell again as a searing pain went through his right foreleg. He knew it was over as he hit the turf again. It was his knee. He had twisted it in the fall.

There were a few muted cheers as Wind finished. The winning Lancer immediately ran back to Vigil’s side, and helped him up. “Captain, this is bad.” Vigil leaned on Wind, and they slowly made their way back towards the platform.

Cadence waited until Vigil had returned to his designated spot on the field, before addressing the crowd. “The challenges end in a tie for the challenger and the Lancers. Their seconds will now face one of the challenges to determine the outcome. Seconds, please step forward. The challenge will be decided by a blind draw.”

Stone pompously offered, “I will let the little mare decide the challenge. That should level the playing field a little.”

Rarity’s eyes narrowed at the insult. She snarled her answer to him, “I choose a martial arts match.”

Wild tensed at her choice. “Is she insane? He’s nearly twice her size.”

Vigil simply replied, “Rarity will beat him like a training dummy.”

Wild turned to Vigil in disbelief. “Are you sure that fall didn’t rattle your head? Look at her! She’s a model, not a fighter!”

He smiled, glad at Wild’s reaction. “That’s what he will think too.”

Rarity slipped on a set of sparring pads, making a show of the process. Wild, much more calmly, noted, “She’s done that a time or two.”

The two seconds entered the circle. Stone looked like an overstuffed, moving couch. He seemed to have had some experience with pads, as their added bulk did little to hinder his moments. A good number of ponies in the crowd worried for Rarity’s safety and Vigil’s fate. Rarity looked too small for the contest to be fair.

Stone mockingly bowed to Rarity. “I played hoof ball in school, back in my day. I’ll try not to hurt you too badly.”

She just smiled like a predatory cat in return.

The horn blew and the bought began. Rarity nimbly darted in, dodged Stone’s clumsy attack, turned, and struck him dead center in the chest with a buck from both of her rear legs. Stone could barely stagger back, before she stuck him again. She battered his face, chest, forelegs, and anything else she could strike. Stone retreated so rapidly that he was outside the circle before he knew what had happened. The two returned to the center, the horn blasted, and Stone tried to go on the offensive. His plan opened him to a countering throw from Rarity. The impact left him breathless and lying exposed on the ground. She pounded him unmercifully as he tried to regain his hooves. Stone managed to roll away from her onslaught, and right out of the ring. Stone lay outside the ring for a few seconds, his breathing labored from the pain coming from his ribs. He got back to his hooves and staggered back into the ring. When the horn sounded again, he all but curled up in a ball as Rarity beat and kicked him with a vigor backed by her anger, fear for Vigil, and the desire to see Stone humiliated. Stone slowly backed out of the ring, more on his haunches than his hooves, with his tale tucked and his ego shattered.

Cadence announced, clearly pleased, “Rarity takes the challenge three to naught! Vigil, you have passed the Three Tiered Challenge, and have earned the right to approach the Crystal Heart!”

Vigil started to thank her, when the gem flared again. The pain dropped him to his knees. Rarity rushed over to him, still in her pads. “It’s getting worse.” He nodded, and she put his head to her chest. “This is almost over; just hold on a little longer.”

Luna landed beside Rarity, having taken a short flight from the platform. “We must act quickly. I do not know what will happen if we delay any longer. I will carry you to the heart immediately.”

Rarity barely had time to place a kiss on Vigil’s head before Luna’s magic took him. Luna flew with Vigil in her magical grip to the top of the palace at a speed that shocked the Lancer. Luna landed on the edge of the top of the palace and carefully returned Vigil to his hooves beside her. The Crystal Heart was held upon a stand at the very center of the platform. It gently glowed and thrummed with power.

Vigil never took his eyes from the Heart, as he asked, “There is a chance this might not work, isn’t there?”

Luna shut her eyes and took a breath in worry, but answered truthfully, “There is always that possibility. The forces acting here are unique. None of us can tell what will happen with certainty.”

Vigil raised his head to her. “Princess, if this doesn’t work, tell Rarity I love her. Tell her that I will always be grateful for everything she did for me and that I hope she has as wonderful a life as she has made mine these last few weeks.”

Luna solemnly nodded. “I will.”

Battered, injured, and scared that these were his last moments, Vigil limped towards the Heart. As he approached, the Crystal Heart’s inner light grew brighter. There was sudden flash of power, and a force unlike anything he had felt before struck him. His world became searing white and then faded to darkness.

*****

As his consciousness returned, he groggily became aware of a soft humming noise. Vigil slowly raised his head from the pad he had been placed on. As his wits returned, he recognized that he was in the infirmary. A ring of Mend’s healing crystals surrounded him. Their humming stopped, as their job was finished. He rolled onto his belly, and folded his legs under himself. He closed his eyes, silently said a prayer to Celesita and Luna, and then looked down at his chest. The gem was gone.

He looked around the room, and smiled as his eyes fell upon Rarity. She had fallen asleep leaned up against the wall. He slowly and quietly made his way over to the pad where she was resting. There was barely enough room for a quarter of him to fit, but he did not mind. He put his head on the pad, and put his ear against her chest. He listened to her heart beat and her soft breathing. He began to doze, as her warmth and natural, rhythmic sounds relaxed him. A little later, a change in her breathing alerted him to the fact that she had woken up.

She stroked his neck and shoulder blades with a hoof. “This reminds me of when we first met.”

He lifted his head and hugged her to him. Tears of relief and joy ran down his cheeks. “I owe you everything. I would spend the rest of my days trying to repay you and it would not be enough to equal what you have done for me.”

She returned the gesture, putting her forelegs around him. “You’re tired, and you’re exaggerating what I have done. You would have won that last challenge had the gem not stopped you. I should be thanking you. If you hadn’t have had that accident, I would not have had the opportunity to beat the stuffing out of that vile excuse of a pony.”

He couldn’t help but laugh a little. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

The door to the infirmary opened, and Luna stepped into the room. She noted the pair’s positions, and shook her head with a grin. “Vigil, Mend would have both your ears if she knew you were lying on the floor like that. Release her for a moment.” As soon as he let Rarity go, Luna levitated him into the air and slid the pad he had been on next to Rarity’s. She tenderly put Vigil back down on the pad. “Now you and I both will not face her wrath. I felt you leave the dreaming state, and decided to check on you. Even with Mend’s skills, you will still need to take care and time to adequately recover.”

She knelt down and hugged him. “My dear captain, you performed magnificently today. It shall be a long time till another spectacle like this occurs. You have undoubtedly earned your respite.” As she released him, she slid something into his hoof. “I didn’t have a chance to deliver that message you gave me. You can deliver it yourself, whenever you see fit.” Luna turned and headed back to the door. “I will leave you two to rest, and will make sure that nopony disturbs you till morning. I will warn you, the Element of Laughter has planned a party for the morrow the likes of which I have never seen before. She and Cozy Room should never be left unattended. Between her party planning talents and his logistical skills, they could create a bacchanal that would involve all of Equestria.” Luna gently shut the door behind her as she left, leaving the two alone once again.

Vigil looked down at the object in his hoof. It was the gem that had been embedded in him for so long. Instead of angry red, it had been returned to its original diamond clear luster.

Rarity gave a little gasp at the sight of the gem. “It’s been completely changed!”

Vigil regarded the gem, turning it in the light. “The dark magic is gone. In fact, I don’t feel any magic of any kind left in the stone. The Heart must have removed it.” He took one of Rarity’s hooves and placed the gem in in. He covered the gem and her hoof with his both of his own. “This is yours.”

Rarity instantaneously protested, “Not at all. After what you have gone through, it is rightfully yours.”

“Then I choose to give it to you.” He lifted a hoof from hers, and caressed her cheek. “Consider it a part of my heart that I want you to always have.”

She put the gem to her heart. “How could I ever refuse, especially when you put it like that?” She gave him a searching look. “I don’t understand. Why hasn’t Luna delivered the message that you gave her?”

His joy dimmed for a moment, as he remembered the circumstances that caused him to give the message to Luna. “We didn’t know for certain that the Crystal Heart would remove the gem, destroy it and me, or do nothing at all. I told her what I wanted to tell you, in case I didn’t have the opportunity to later.”

Rarity tilted her head. “What did you want her to tell me?”

“I wanted her to tell you that I wished your life to be as wonderful as you have made the last few weeks for me. I wanted you to know that I appreciated all that you had done.” He leaned in and kissed her. He briefly broke the kiss to add, “Most especially, I wanted you to know one thing. Rarity, I love you and always will.” They kissed again. It was a long, deep kiss that left the two warm and slightly giddy at the end. They nuzzled each other, and lay back down together, both too exhausted to stay awake.

The Elements, the three princesses, Shining, Cozy, and Mend came to rouse the pair for breakfast. Luna indicated they should be quiet, as she sensed both were still deeply asleep. Without a sound, Celestia opened door with her magic. The gathered ponies found Rarity and Vigil curled together. They slept holding in each other. His head was tucked against her chest; her chin was placed on top of his head. The gem sat a hoof’s reach away from the pair, reflecting the tender scene in all of its facets.

*****

The party that afternoon lived up to Luna’s warning. It was if the Crystal Empire Festival was being reenacted with even more enthusiasm. Music played, drinks flowed, and food was devoured in copious amounts.

Rainbow coaxed Brass into doing an exhibition joust. She lost horribly, even with him going easy on her. After the last run, when he crossed the dividers to help her up, she pounced on him and wrestled him to the ground. She lightly battered him with her hooves, as she sat on his chest. Brass laughed the entire time.

Vigil laughed at the pair’s antics. “They have gotten friendly awfully fast. By the way, what did you have those two do yesterday?” He looked to Luna, who smiled like a dragon with a new treasure to add to its hoard.

“They used the town criers and message runners to great effect. They had the criers announce the Challenge across the city, so that there would be as many witnesses as possible to spread the word of Stone’s votes during the council’s rulings. If they could not find evidence of his selling of the gem while knowing that it was dangerous, the news of his conduct would at least have detrimentally hurt his business dealings. They also had messages sent to a few key ponies that I know. Those ponies provided them with information that indicated they needed to talk to a pony named Shady Deal about how Stone had acquired the gem. They then spoke to Shady face to face. I know not, and don’t wish to know, how they got him to reveal it, but he confessed that he had been the one to find Sombra’s horn. Upon finding it, and the core gem, he then took the gem to Stone. Stone, in turn, sold the gem as part of a collection of other gems he had gotten from Shady to Rarity. He knew full well what it was he was selling, and how dangerous it could have been. Ironically, you had to face the Challenge due to the gem’s diminishing power speeding up our efforts to get you to the Crystal Heart. Had we gathered the evidence before the council meeting, Stone would have been barred from participating in the council’s rulings.”

Rarity asked, “And where are those two miscreants at the moment?”

Luna’s gave her a satisfied smile. “I have ensured that Stone and Shady are both spending this day in the palace dungeons, and that they will spend quite a number more there.” She put a hoof on Vigil’s shoulder. “I wish to tell you, that had the gem begun to threaten your life, I would have flown you directly to the Crystal Heart myself, Challenge or no. While I always strive to follow the laws of the land, there is no reason a pony should die on account of them. Cadence has assured me that she and Shining feel the same.”

Shining asked Vigil, “What are you going to do, now that all of this is over?”

Vigil turned his eyes to Rarity. “I plan to keep a promise I made. I’m going to return to Ponyville, to help Rarity with a project of hers.”

Celestia gave Luna a conspiratorial look. “I don’t remember you releasing Vigil from the Lancers, and I certainly haven’t. He still has a couple of years in our service, if I recall correctly. What shall we do with him? It would be a shame to have to demote him to keep him as part of his Lancers. We may have to though, if he’s planning to shirk his duties.”

Luna returned Celestia’s look. “I’m sure that we will find a use for him. He has a backlog of vacation time that he needs to take, and I insist he do so as soon as possible so that he may fully recover from these events. That avoids any duty shirking issues with him as well. His leave time will also give us the opportunity to consider what to do with him. I’m certain we will find a post appropriate for a pony of his experience and distinctions.”

Vigil didn’t know if he liked the sound of that or not. Knowing Luna, there was another game being played that he was not aware of. He was certain, no matter what it was, that he was right in the middle of it. Seeing his expression, Rarity leaned up against him and kissed his cheek. He decided not to worry about Luna’s words until after his royally mandated vacation, and focused his attention on the mare at his side. He kissed the spot below her horn where he had given her the shimmer, and just enjoyed being with the mare he loved.

Epilogue: Successes, Parties, and Princesses

Vigil almost dropped the bolt of cloth he was carrying, as he heard Rarity squeal. He quickly put the cloth down on the workbench, and raced into the shop. “Are you alright?!”

“I’m better than alright! Look!” She levitated over a letter to him. “Fancy Pants accepted every one of the designs! I’m going to be the biggest name for stallions’ apparel in the Crystal Empire!”

He scanned the letter’s contents, and looked up at her. “This is great! Congratulations!”

She playfully bopped him on the nose. “You played a major part in this. Without your help I don’t know if I could have finished the project, much less have completed it by the deadline.”

“I didn’t do much at all. They were your designs from start to finish. I just tried to keep from under hoof.” He gave her a self-depreciating smile.

“You modeled for the creation of the designs and for Fancy when he came to see them in person. You’ve done countless things around the shop and for me. You made sure that I’ve eaten properly, exercised, and rested instead of running myself into the dirt. You even convinced me to go with Fluttershy to the spa when I had decided to skip, which would have been horrible for both her and me. You have been a marvel! Don’t sell yourself short.”

“It’s nothing compared to what you have done for me. I owe you so much.”

“You said something like that when we were in the Empire. What do you think you should be doing or accomplish to repay me?”

The question struck him in an odd way. He couldn’t even think of a clear answer. “I’m not sure. But I have not saved your life, restored you to the good graces of a country, and then fought an opponent twice my size for you.”

“You crazy stallion,” she said, as she kissed him on the nose. “You’ve already repaid me.” She patted her necklace, where the gem set in a silver setting on a matching finely wrought chain. “You gave me your heart.”

“I don’t know if it’s enough.”

“Are you saying I’m lying to you?” Her tone sounded hurt.

He hugged her and kissed the side of her head, as he told her, “Absolutely not!" His voice lost a little confidence in himself, as he told her, " I guess I’m afraid that I haven’t done enough to earn the love you have given me." He sighed with regret. "I haven’t courted you properly, I haven’t gotten you gifts, and I’ve failed as your coltfriend utterly. Nothing has happened the way I thought finding the mare of my dreams would go.”

She leaned against him, put her head under his chin, and softly laughed. “You know, I once lived with the fantasy that I would marry a prince. He and I would fall in love at first sight; he would sweep me away to his castle to lively happily ever after, all that foolish and empty nonsense. When I did have the opportunity to meet a prince, he turned out to be the most repugnant individual I had ever had encountered.”

She leaned back so he could see her eyes. “I’ve found a stallion much better than anything my dreams ever showed me. You are a knightly Lancer who cares for who I am and what I do. You support me in every way, however and whenever you can. You put up with my drama fits, my self-doubt, and raise me when I need it most, even when I make it difficult for you. Real relationships should never be based on ideals, foals stories, and society’s baseless assumptions. Just being who you are is more than enough to earn my love.”

He hugged her to him tightly. “You certainly are a priceless rarity.” Just as they were about to kiss, a knock sounded on the shop’s door.

Rarity muttered under her breath, “Oh come on.”

Vigil chuckled and lightly nipped her ear with his teeth. She gasped in surprise, and blushed a wonderful shade of pink. “We’ll just have to continue our moment later.”

Rarity lightly swatted him on the shoulder. She headed back to the workshop to grab her measuring tape. “Would you be a dear, and invite them in? I’m not really sure why I have an open sign; ponies never seem to just walk into the shop.”

He opened the door, and was greeted by Pinkie handing him an invitation. “You’re invited to a ‘Come Back Soon’ party. It won’t be as fun as the one I threw for you and Rarity in the Crystal Empire, but it’ll still be fun!”

Struck by inspiration, Vigil motioned Pinkie closer. He whispered some news, and a couple of ideas to her.

Her ears perked up, and she nodded vigorously when he had finished.

He grinned conspiratorially. “That would make for a happier party, don’t you think?”

Pinkie bounced up and down with enthusiastic energy. “You betcha! I’ll even change the invitations!”

Rarity came to the door, and stood beside Vigil. “What was that darling? I thought you said something about changing invitations.”

“No time to explain. Party planning, preparation, and procurement work needs to be done. See you two later!” With that, she was gone in a blur of pink.

Rarity cut her eyes over to the stallion at her side, before asking, “Vigil, what did you just do?”

“All I did was suggest a little more lighthearted title for the party. She seemed to like the idea.”

She didn’t buy it for one second, and hummed a disbelieving note. “Darling, I’m not that gullible.”

He gave her a quick peck on the nose. “I never thought you were. However, it’s mainly the truth. We’ll both have to just have to wait to see what she comes up with.”

“That’s somewhat of a scary thought.”

*****

Vigil managed to slip in a trip to Berry Punch’s store, while running an errand for Rarity. He made sure to get a couple of bottles of Rarity’s favorite wine, as well as a good variety for the guests that would be arriving in the evening. He had trouble sneaking the bottles into the boutique, as they would clink together in his saddle bags as he moved. It took a couple of tries, lucky timing, and quietly putting them one at a time through the kitchen window, but he managed it.

As he hid the wine in various places around the kitchen, Pinkie appeared at the open window. The pink pony whispered, “Hey, Vigil, come here.”

He checked to see if Rarity was close by, and then stealthily made his way over to the window. He quietly asked, “Is everything alright?”

She nodded. “Yep, project Toast the Seamstress is proceeding as planned. I just wanted you to know that you’ll need to wear a suit.”

He gave her a surprised look. “Sure, but may I ask why?”

Pinkie did a remarkable impersonation of a high Canterlot accent, as she replied, “You may ask, my good stallion, but I shall not answer." She raised her nose in the air, assuming the attitude of a Canterlot elite. "There have been a couple of additions to the guest list for our little soirée. Plans have been changed to accommodate them, and to better fit with the evening’s theme. I merely wanted to present you with ample time to make what adjustments you see fit.” With that, Pinkie yet again sped off in a blur.

Rarity walked into the kitchen, as Vigil shook his head at the whole conversation and shut the window.

“Vigil, why are you shaking your head at the window?”

He shrugged and gave her a lopsided grin. He answered simply, “Just Pinkie being Pinkie.”

Rarity nodded in understanding. “Say no more.”

*****

That evening, a soft knock came on the boutique’s door well before the party’s official start. Vigil let the waiting Elements in, and helped them bring in the supplies and food for the party. They had all worn their Gala dresses, and he thought they all looked marvelous.

Twilight whispered to him, “Where is Rarity?”

Vigil took a moment to put the bag he had been carrying with his mouth onto the counter, before answering, “Upstairs getting ready. She doesn’t suspect a thing.”

Applejack nudged him. “We got it from here, sugar cube. You’ve got a little gettin’ ready to do yourself.”

He quietly slipped into the workroom, and put on one of the suits that Rarity had created. It had been her favorite of the bunch. He smiled as he recalled her telling him, “It goes so well with your eyes.”

As he was adjusting his tie, he heard Rarity’s surprised voice. “What are you girls doing here? The party is not supposed to be for another hour! Not that you don’t look lovely, but why in Equestria are you all dressed up? This wasn’t supposed to be that kind of party.”

Taking Rarity’s words as a cue, Vigil stepped out from the workroom. “There was a slight change of plans. This evening has been turned into a celebration for your success with the Crystal Empire designs.”

She quickly turned to him, as the realization of what had happened hit her. “This was supposed to be for you!”

“A ‘Come Back Soon’ party for me seemed a little inappropriate when compared to your good news.”

Not caring what it did to his suit, Rarity hugged him tightly. She whispered in his ear, “This is exactly what I meant. Only a heartless nag would refuse the love of a stallion that would do a thing like this for her.”

Rarity, feeling under-dressed, took a minute to slip into her own Gala dress. She made it a point to still wear Vigil's gem. She gave Vigil a smile, when he noticed she had not taken it off. He did not say anything, but the smile he returned was all she needed to know that he was flattered by the gesture. The cheerful group talked, shared gossip, and enjoyed the food and each other’s company. Pinkie’s ears suddenly turned towards the door and she bounded towards the shop’s entrance. “They’re here!”

The gathered ponies looked at her in confusion. Rarity, unable to contain her curiosity, asked, “Who do you mean, dear? Nopony has even knocked on the door.”

Pinkie opened the door, much to the surprise of Luna, whose raised hoof had been ready to knock on the door.

Celestia strode past her shocked sister, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. “Hello, my little ponies. I hope we’ve arrived on time.”

“You’re right on time, princess.” Pinkie grabbed Luna’s still outstretched hoof, and guided her into the shop.

After the obligatory greetings, and everypony settling back down, Vigil went into the kitchen to pour the princesses some of the wine. As he began to tilt one of the bottles over a wine glass, an aura of magic stopped him.

“Stalwart Vigil, I need to speak with you.”

Vigil swallowed, and turned to Luna. “Yes, princess?”

She levitated the wine from his grasp, and returned it to the counter. She regarded him with an unreadable expression. “Have you packed in preparation for your return trip?”

“Not yet. I was going to in the morning. The train to the Empire doesn’t leave until late tomorrow afternoon.”

“That is good to hear. You will not need to do so.”

His heart fell. A number of horrible thoughts flew through his mind. What did I do? What didn’t I do? Did I insult the princesses somehow? He carefully asked, “Have I conducted myself improperly?”

Seeing his dejection, she smiled and shook her head. “Nothing of the sort, my sister and I have found a suitable post for you. The official details of your new duties will come by a special courier on the morrow. You are to meet them at the train station at noon.”

He knew this would be coming, but being reminded that he would have to part with Rarity for a time was painful. “May I know where I will be stationed and what my rank will be?”

She lifted her nose as if insulted, but her barely contained laughter made it clear she was not serious. “Stalwart Vigil, I have to follow the rules, just as my sister does, you’re well aware of that. I cannot divulge the particulars of your orders in a setting like this, it would violate protocol.” She leaned close, and quietly told him, “I will let you know this much, you shall remain at the rank of captain.” She drew back from him. “We shall not talk of such things any more this night. Doing so would spoil the festivities. I just wanted to spare you the effort of packing when it would not be necessary, for a while at least.”

He slightly bowed. “Thank you for your consideration.”

“Sleep soundly this night, and tomorrow will play out as it will. Or perhaps, you should choose to not sleep at all, and entertain the company of a certain mare that you have been dreaming so passionately about of late.” Vigil’s blush reached his ears. He stammered, as he tried to find something to say in response. Luna pointed towards the bottle of wine, and playfully pointed out, “I believe that you were going to pour me and my sister some wine, before I interrupted you.”

*****

Even with the comfort that Rarity’s guest bed provided, Vigil found he could not sleep. He kept trying to find some hidden meaning or hint in Luna’s words. Luna had always had a bit of a mischievous streak to her. Knowing that Celestia had been involved in whatever was going to happen added a new dimension to the puzzle. Celestia was even worse than Luna, and was known to pull pranks on unsuspecting ponies.

He made his way to the window, and looked out at the moon. “Why did you tell me anything? You knew I would never let this rest. Should I look forward to whatever is going to happen tomorrow, or dread it?”

“Darling, you’re talking to yourself,” Rarity said, from the doorway.

“I was actually talking to Luna. Well, the moon really.” He pointed to the pale orb. “I think she’s playing with me, but I don’t know why.”

“She likes you. While that is a good thing in one way, it makes you a target for her odd sense of humor.”

She was wearing the red and gold kimono again, and the sight of it made Vigil smile. “You look stunning in that.”

She looked down at the kimono in disbelief. “What, this old thing? I was thinking about getting a new one.”

“Don’t do that. I have fond memories of that kimono. It was the first thing I saw you in, after you freed me.”

“You remember that?” She arched an eyebrow. “I thought I saw a spark of jealousy when you met Fancy. Just how long have you harbored your amorous thoughts for me?”

He guiltily smiled. “Before I could even saw you, I had feelings for you. While I was trapped in that mannequin, I felt the face of a mare who helped me when I needed it most. I didn’t need to see to know that you were a special and rare beauty.”

She blushed. “You say the most wonderful things to a lady. Are you a poet as well as a Lancer?”

“With you as inspiration, I would be willing to give it a try.”

She shook her head. “You silly, romantic thing, you should get to bed. You’re going to have a big day tomorrow, whatever happens.”

“I won’t be able to sleep. Luna’s words are bothering me too much.”

Rarity went over to the bed and lay down. She patted the open space beside her. “Come here, and lay down.”

He did so, and she wrapped her forelegs around him. She kissed the top of his head, and then put her cheek on it. “If they ship you off to Appleloosa, I will be right here waiting for you to get back.”

He nuzzled her neck. “I know. Thinking of you is all that is keeping me from going up the wall.”

She nipped his ear, and he jumped at the unexpected tease. She whispered sultrily in his ear, “That was for earlier. We never did get to finish our ‘moment,’ did we?”

*****

Vigil stood on the Ponyville platform, and watched as ponies departed from the train. Rarity and the other Elements waited with him, all on the lookout for the pony who would be delivering Vigil’s orders.

They were all shocked when a pair of familiar ponies walked towards them, both hitched to a luggage cart each.

Wind turned to Brass. “I told you they’d all be here. You owe me lunch.”

Vigil looked at the pair of Lancers in complete confusion. “What are you two doing here? Where is the special courier?”

Brass grinned. “That would be me, since I outrank our friend here.” Brass momentarily unhitched himself, and rummaged around in his luggage. “Here you go, not even wrinkled.” He hitched himself back up, and shared a grin with Wind.

Vigil took the envelope, and hesitated. His hoof paused mid-way, as reached for the royal seal.

Rarity poked him in the shoulder. “Go on. We’re all on pins and needles.”

He quickly broke the seal, opened the envelope, and pulled out a beautifully penned message. He quickly read it, and smiled at its contents. He reread the message for all to hear:

To captain Stalwart Vigil:

A new post has been created in the town of Ponyville due to the heighted number of threats that the town has faced since Nightmare Moon’s defeat. These threats have ranged from parasprite swarms to rampaging dragons, so your experience and unflagging courage are needed for the new position. Your personal belongings are being shipped to Ponyville, and will arrive shortly. A recent recruit to the Lancers has been assigned to your command. Arriving with him will be a volunteer from the Lancer’s ranks. Till informed otherwise, you will still be considered Lancers under my command.

All patrol schedules, training times, reports, and all other guard functions and forms should comply with Lancer protocols.

Your commander and princess,

Luna

Vigil swept Rarity up in hug, and spun her around. “She played me like a fiddle!” He put Rarity down, and shook hooves with Wind and Brass. “I’m glad you’re here. From what I understand about this town, we’re going to have to stay on our game.” He paused and looked at Brass. “What is this about a ‘volunteer’ from the Lancers?”

Brass started to say something, but when his eyes met with Rainbow’s he found that he had lost the ability to speak. Wind smiled, and answered for the tongue tied Lancer, “After seeing how poorly one particular Element fared in her lancing skills, he felt obligated to come and give her personal lessons.”

Had Brass not strapped himself back to his cart, he would have tackled Wind to the ground and pummeled him. Vigil laughed at the pair. “I can tell you two are going to need me to work on your discipline.”

As he began to return his orders back into the envelope, he noticed a smaller message tucked at the bottom of the envelope. It bore no official seal, but was held closed by a plain dab of wax that seemed to be the kind that had been on his orders.

Rarity leaned over his shoulder, and examined the smaller piece of paper. “What is that?”

“I don’t know.” He broke the dollop of wax, and unfolded the paper. He read her the message:

Dear Vigil,

Luna and I wish you the best in your new position. Ponyville has been the center of many of Equestia’s defining events, thanks to the presence of the Elements of Harmony. If things unfold the way that my sister and I believe, your post will become vitally important. There is a possibility that more of the Guards, Wonderbolts, and Lancers will be stationed there, and placed under your command. We feel much more at ease, knowing that a captain with your experience and dedication is in Ponyville.

Take care, and give Rarity and the rest of the Elements our love. We wish you all the best.

Your princess,

Celestia

P.S. If we fail to receive wedding invitations in the relatively near future, we will ship you to the most northern, frozen lookout post in Equestria.

Rarity giggled. “Luna must have written the post script. Look at the change in the style of writing; it matches the script for your orders. When shall we set the date?”

It took him a moment to recover from the shock of how casually she said it. “I haven’t even asked you yet! I don’t even have a ring to give you!”

“You’ve given me something better than any ring.” She touched the gem hanging around her neck. “And I believe you said that my accepting the shimmer meant we were all but engaged. Let’s just make it official.”

He kissed her heatedly, not caring about the comments, whistles, and catcalls from the other ponies. As they ended the kiss, he smiled, and looked into her eyes. “Nothing would please me more.”

Author's Note

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I hope you enjoyed it. If you have been kind enough to favorite this story, I want you to know that I greatly appreciate it.

Constructive criticism is always welcome. Please feel free to PM me or comment with any ideas, thoughts, or opinions about the story. I need all the help I can get to improve my writing skills.