Pale on Blue

The guard, Silver Gloss, in all his armor and trimmings, he asks me questions. Polite and careful questions that make me feel safe, like he cares if I'm bothered. I was fine with him before, but now I think I'm starting to like him a little- guards are more often than not more like thugs than guards.

"Now," he says, "I have something else to discuss with you, something private. Will you walk with me?"

I'm not sure what to say to this. I shift nervously. Be polite, etiquette and respect, I tell myself. It would be impolite to refuse, so I nod. "Okay." I think I say this to him, but for all it know, I might just think I said it, so I say it again. "Okay."

Silver Gloss seems to notice my unease, "If you don't want to come," he says, frowning a concerned sort of frown, "you don't understand. I know how some of the guards can get, and it's natural to not want to walk alone to somewhere you don't know with a strange stallion."

I nod shyly, "Yeah."

"Well," he says, smiling again. "How about this- you meet me at the Rusty Horseshoe at nine o'clock sharp?"

A pub, of all places. He seems pretty serious, and stupid etiquette and respect just won't shut up. "Okay," I finally reply, "I'll be there."

I'm pretty sure I've just made the most stupid decision of my life, and even that's the understatement of the century at best. With a few more words, customary closings, all that crap, we walk in opposite directions, Silver off to do whatever guards do, as I head home. I can't stop thinking about meeting him tonight, and I can't help but blush with pleasure at the dirtier possible outcomes of this situation. I don't think anything's dirtier than my mind.

It's already somewhere around eight-thirty by the time I finish with my schoolwork and all of my usual chores. I feel suddenly self-concious, even before I leave the house, so I spend a good ten minutes rummaging through my closet for some kind of jacket to protect me from the nighttime cold and still look presentable. As soon as I find it, I have only about twenty minutes to reach the Horseshoe before I'm late, and trust me when I say I suck at time management.

I don't reach the square in which the pub is located until about eight fifty-five, which is surprisingly good time for me. I pull the jacket tighter around my body. The bar is packed with rowdy and boisterous customers, some mares but mostly stallions, and most more than tipsy on alcoholic ciders and different brews of beer and booze. I most certainly don't feel safe.

The gentle tap on my shoulder doesn't help with this; I jump and nearly fall over, spinning around to face a silvery-coated stallion. His green eyes are familiar, though I don't recognize his squared, dark, rusty-striped mane and tail. His cutie mark is a pair of tongs holding a shiny-looking silver horseshoe, and it's only as I see it that I instantly realize who he is.

"Silver Gloss?" I half-whisper, "I almost didn't recognize you!"

He smiles sheepishly, "Sorry about that, enchantments on the helmets and things so we all look the same."

I nod, "No biggie. What do you need to talk about?"

"The night watch," Silver says, his smile fading as he pulls me over to an empty table in the corner, "what do you know about them?"

"The night watch?" I echo, confused, "Aren't they Princess Luna's guard? Y'know, take over when the day guard need some sleep and all?"

"I wish it were that innocent," says Silver, "but they have a secret. Didn't it ever occur to you that those batponies that make up the guard all are supposed to be normal pegasi under an illusion enchantment like day guards' helmets, but they're stronger and faster than normal ponies, and they don't seem to need sleep!"

I wish I could say I understand what Silver Gloss is trying to say, but I'm an idiot. "Whatcha mean? I'm sure its just enchantments, right?"

"No," Silver whispers, voice grave. "I have a theory." He paused, clearly trying to add dramatic effect, "Vamponies!"

Seriously? Maybe this dude's a little late for the hooskow after all. "You're kidding, right?"

Silver sighs, "Nah, I knew you'd think I was crazy!"

"It's okay," I say quickly, "tell me what you want me to do, whatever you need, I'm here for ya!"

"Thanks," he says, relieved. I feel better too. "Anyway, I want you to find any member of the night watch and ask about joining, get inside, and feed me as much information as you can get your hooves on! Can you do that?"

Remember how I'd said my life sucks? I guess I might've been... wrong.  This should be... exciting.