The Nightstalkers

It was dawn when a pounding came to Eclipse's door. "Ensign get up and dressed there is a emergency and we've got the case! You have two minutes if your not out by then I'm coming in and dragging you to work!" shouted Shadow Wing. He stood in the hall in the shadow between two windows counting the seconds.

Eclipse came out of her room two minutes later and looked at Shadow "What's all of this? What's going on?" she says still half asleep.

Shadow looked at her. Inspecting her appearance. He nodded and started to walk as he spoke. "Last night intruders slipped in to the castle, snuck in to Princess Luna's bed chamber, and absconded with some of her personal effects. Luna herself discovered the crime as she was getting ready for bed this morning. As her lunar guards it is our responsibly to protect her and the fact that on our watch this happened to our princess. Is a mark of shame. We are just lucky it was a thief and not a assassin. They could have easily left a deadly trap or dangerous animal in her chambers. The first unit of the thirteen lunar guard units is responsible for her personal safety that said my big brother as head of the thirteenth has been giving anypony in it a lecture for failing to do there job. Even though he's in a different unit his pride as one of the mistresses lunar guards has him taking it personally. He will even be overseeing the next round of training because of this, may the stars help those recruits." explained Shadow as he led the way to the captains court where the thirteen captains and Luna are going to discus the situation.

Eclipse looked dumbfounded "Wait they stole, what exactly?"

"That's what we are going to find out now. But what ever it is has the Mistress in a fit. It seems it was something quite personal to her, judging from the fact she is holding a meeting of all her captains." said Shadow as he turned to face the a large door He looked at her. "Beyond this door are the princess Luna and her thirteen captains, and their commanders. These are the most powerful warriors, casters, and skilled strategist you will ever meet. Show respect and decorum. Even if some of them lack both."

"It must be important if Princess Luna is upset. Still that is beyond stupid in it's boldness, stealing from an Equestrian princess is the height of stupidity." she replied

Shadow nodded. "Stay close be quite."

He opened the door and shouting poured out. "Discipline in the ranks is the responsibility of my unit, Ace! NOT your thirteenth!" Shouted a lightly built earth tan yellow pony in black uniform similar to Shadows, her mane and tail were also black. Behind her was heavy set unicorn of pink coat and blue mane and tail, munching on a bag of chips.

As Shadow led Eclipse around the table to set behind a bat pony that had a blind fold on a Pegasus of crimson coat and sliver hair in black Neighponiese armor on the same side of the table on the end closest to the door shouted back. "Well then do you bucking job Sea-foam. The fact that this happened at all insults all of us and its our dear head captain of the first unit's fault. Her guards are the ones in that castle and at our mistress's side. She should commit seppuku to atone for failing Princess Luna and putting her in danger!" Ace shouted.

The blind folded bat pony slammed his hooves on the table. "Ace Crimson Moon, Sea-foam Reef! Silence both of you. My unit will find them. If they had inside help I'll give you two of you their name and then you two can argue over there punishment." Shouted the captain of the second.

The table sat like this in the back of the room was Luna on a throne in front of her at the table head was the first captain with his commander behind him saying on the floor. To his right was the second Captain Echos with Shadow and Eclipse behind him Sea-foam the third unit captain and her commander Sat across from the second and it went on down the line ending with twelfth and thirteenth at the end by door. Behind Ace was his commander a massive pony in full plate. They were the thirteen stars of the lunar guard the captain's of Luna's lunar guard. It was rare to see them together and even rarer to see them in the daylight. Whatever the fool stole must have been of incredible importance to Luna.

Eclipse looked around she had only seen the head captain a few time when she was recruiting spell casters at the School for Gifted Unicorns. And she was quite frankly intimidated, the head captain's aura was so strong it actually scared her a bit.

After a few more silent glares around the table from several captains Echo spoke again. "Now that my commander and his new partner are here, please tell us what was stolen. Your majesty."

Luna's face flushed a very deep purple "It was something of great personal value, and it was intimate. I will say no more than that." she said emphatically.

The head captain bowed her head "I have interviewed the guard that was guarding you bedchamber that night my princess. He said that your pegasus maid Silver Linings came to your bedchamber and said that she was there to change your bedclothes." the thestral mare glared at the red pegasus "Also I want to address your notion of what my troops should do Captain Crimson Moon. It is simply not your place to even think such things about soldiers outside you the thirteenth. Am I clear captain?" she said coldly

Eclipse flinched behind Shadow at the shear coldness of the statement.

"My job is to remove threats, before they endanger Equestria. Your guards are slacking and therefore are becoming a threat. Instead of a thief in the night it could have been a assassin. Your troops failed and put the mistress in danger. So forgive me if add some of my troops to the patrolling the castle while I'm on training rotation. But yours can't be trusted, head captain." said Ace the disdain clear to all.

Sea-foam was fuming at the fact that some one stole something of the description given by the princess as vague as it was.

Shadow leaned in and whispered to to Echos, who nodded."Forgive me for asking this my Mistress. But my commander points out that tho important as the details given are you still have not given a clear description of the stolen item. And with out knowing what exactly is stolen. We can't find and recover it. Or arrest the criminal responsible. I know this is hard for you but please, we need to know to help. And I'm sure that no matter what it is none of us in this room would think of tell a soul. Not even your sister." said Echos

"It was some lingerie given to me be a former herdmate one thousand years ago. You will know it when you see it." Luna huffed

The head captain glared through Ace "I see you need a reminder of who you are talking down to. I will see you on the training field for your disciplinary action captain Crimson Moon, and I will not be gentle this time." she rose to leave with her commander and lieutenant commander.

Luna was also glaring at Ace "Captain Crimson Moon I appreciate your dedication to my safety. But will not talk down to the head captain again! Am I clear captain." the Night Princess said

"Yes, Mistress." Ace said before following the head captain with an armored behemoth of a earth pony close behind.

Sea-foam was red in the face. "The nerve! I'll have who ever did this wish they were dead if get my hooves on them!"

Her commander was holding his nose to stop the bleeding.

Many of the remaining captains were as angry as Sea-foam if the promises of death torture and worse were any clue.

Echos bowed his head. "I'll get to work at once mistress we will recover your lost treasure." he walked out with Shadow right behind him.

Eclipse with her head down and her ears pinned to the back of her head quietly slunk out of the meeting. She had never seen this much hostility before.

Luna turned to the rest of the collected officers "As for all of you there will not be any vigilante action on your part or that of your officers or divisions, am I clear?" Luna said darkly. They shut up instantly and nodded while leaving too.

Shadow waited outside for Eclipse. Always in a shadow as if the sunlight was a enemy.

Eclipse raised her and looked at him "Is it always like that?" she asked wide eyed

"No today was the most civilized and united I have ever seen the captains in my time as a guard. Tartarus even my brother and Sea-foam where agreeing with each other! I'm a little worried that this might be a sign of the end of the world. Next thing you know my brother will stop flirting with every mare he meets and get married or start a herd." Shadow shakes his head. "Come on let's get to work this is our case so we get to inspect the crime scene." he blushed a little.

Eclipse's mouth dropped open. She tried to shake off her shock as she followed Shadow to Princess Luna's bedchamber.

Shadow stopped at the door. "This is it now remember we are working and anything we see that's not connected to the case never leaves our lips got it."

Eclipse nodded "I don't know what I can do, but I'm going to let the princess down." she replied resolutely.

"Simple you look for what shouldn't be there. Yes it sounds easy but it's not." said shadow as he opened the door bowing his head as he entered.

Eclipse followed him while thinking to herself "How the buck do I do that when I've never even been in here before?" she cast her eyes about the room seeing if could actually find something out of place.

Shadow looked around the room "You know how to detect magic right?" He asked as he sniffed the carpet seeming to blend in almost with the rooms low lighting and cool dark colors.

"It's basic spell that we are all taught at the school." she replied charging her horn and searching for any traces of magic that would be out of place in the princess's bedroom. She continued scanning for a moment more and got puzzled look on her face. "Commander, there's traces of an illusion here. Specifically a disguising spell that alters both the appearance and and voice of the user." she turned thoughtful trying to remember this magical signature, she was certain she'd felt it before "I think I recognize the magical signature of the caster too, I just can't place it right away."

Shadow sniffed at a dresser by the bed then backed up. "You remember any stallions with a skill for illusions or that knew them, he forgot to hide his scent. He also went through quite a lot of our mistress's things. He might have taken other things she hasn't yet noticed missing." said Shadow he was not happy by his voice the pony that did this made every lunar guard his worst enemy it seems. Not a position to envy.

"There is only one that I know of." she trailed off for a moment searching her memories. Then she promptly facehoofed "Oh Celestia it had better not be those two of all ponies in Equestria." she drew in a breath "Commander," she said in small voice "I think I know what happened here."

Shadow facehoofed. "That's the same look my twin sister got when our big brother did something stupid. Please tell me you're not related to the idiot that did this." said Shadow

"In a fashion, the likely stallions behind this are probably the twin brothers of my marefriends." she drew in a breath again "If I am right it was done by Shock Burst and Gold Coins, and there was probably hard cider involved. I suspect that it was a drunken prank done on a schoolyard dare, I'm very sorry commander." she hung her head shamefully, but inside she wanted to skin both stallions alive.

"Don't be you can't choose family. Look at mine my twin sister is a airship captain in the navy and acts one step below being a pirate, and well you saw my older brother. And don't get me started on my younger three sisters. Now lest go arrest the criminals, after we fill in the captain.

"Yes commander, I hope that Princess Luna won't be to upset." she shook her head "Anyway if you'll follow me I can take you right to them, after we report to the captain. Which way to his office?" she asked slightly embarrassed.

"Follow me and will get you a copy of Equestria laws while in the stacks. Oh, um the stacks are the nickname to the office building for the second. It's called that cause it's three floors of desks and ponies as well as some offices." said Shadow as he walked. "Our unit is one of the biggest. As you can probably guess from what you seen. Each unit has a role our unit is tasked with investigation, while my brother and his demons are as he put it are Luna's sword. But they're more like Luna's cannon. Captain Sea-foam is in charge of internal affairs investigation she is the blade at our backs that keeps us from being corrupted. Other units are like the research and development unit, and the Tartarus guards. Each unit is different in size by the it needs. My brother's is the smallest but on that same note is one of the strongest unit do to the capabilities and diversity of it. But that has gotten them a um, reputation which you seem to have heard; given how bad have the rumors have gotten of my brother. I know last night after I saw you he came in dripping in blood dragging a hydra's heart. Not sure what he did with it though."

Eclipse was wide eyed again "Um commander, if I may your brother might need some help. He sounds a bit, well reckless." she couldn't begin to contemplate what a pony would do with a hydra's heart, but she was certain she didn't want to know.

"Like I said you don't know my family. Also a hydra is not the dumbest thing he's tackled alone. In fact it was probably one of the easier foes." he said as they passed the wall to a tallish building on the castle grounds. As they made there way through it looked like a large guard station.

Eclipse swallowed hard "Not the dumbest thing? Commander I am very glad not to be in the thirteenth." she said as they entered the building.

"Well your powers would be taken to levels you never imagined in it but, Luna felt you wouldn't have the stomach for it. Or his barbecue weekend party every month. I mean roasted meat is not something anypony can just eat without batting a eye." said Shadow. "Now that I think about it this coming weekend is the last weekend of the month. That's probably what the heart is for. Also the cragadille he dragged in the night before. Oh he must be cooking up some of moms old recipes." said Shadow now looking happy and drooling a little.

Eclipse stopped "Organ meat is unhealthy commander! It'll make you very sick if you keep eating it." she'd remembered the countless hours of research she'd read while in school pointing this fact out.

"Not all some organs of certain animals can be good eating. Also you not eat hydra heart meat you boil it for soup, like a shark's fin." He looked at her. "Now you've gotten me hungry. Let's do this quick." he said as he rushed to the stairs Eclipse noticed a lot of her fellow ponies had heard their talk and were looking ill.

Eclipse was blinking "Did, no," she told herself "that just happened."

They reached the office on the third floor it has a closed eye with a ear on it (Echos' cutie mark) on the window.

Eclipse looked at Shadow "This is the captain's office then?" it reminded her of something out of the private eye novels that Storm read all of the time.

"Yes." he said as he reached up to knock.

"Enter commander." called the captain before Shadow had touched the door. He opened it and walked in.

Eclipse followed him in and saluted the captain "Captain the commander and I think we may have figured out what happened last night." she said

"And that is?" asked the captain.

"Go ahead Ensign Blood Moon. You figured it out." said Shadow.

Eclipse sighed "I think it was a drunken prank done on a schoolyard dare by a pair of stallions I know." she steadied herself "Those two stallions are my marefriend's twin brothers Shock Burst and Gold Coins. You see they are always doing things like this when they can, it works usually because Gold Coins is a proficient illusionist, and Shock Burst is often the mastermind." she said using hoof quotes for the last word.

"Ok bring them in and seach there residents. Any thing with a trace of princess Luna's magic or scent confiscate it." Echo ordered "Also take an apprehension squad with you incase they run."

"Yes captain is squad six available?" said Shadow.

"No but squad nine is..." answered Captain Echos.

"I see, let's go." said Shadow. Outside the office after the door closed Shadow looked at Eclipse. "Please tell me those two are not stupid enough to run?"

Eclipse snorted "No they won't run. if anything they are probably expecting us, as I said commander they were likely drunk when they did it. I have no idea how they manage it but they do." she replied "Now I can show where they are, or do we wait for the ninth?"

"I hope so the ninth squad is part of units capture teams. But I think they would be more at home in my brothers unit. The three of them are out there the one guy is nice enough but well he just pulls armored wagon. The other three well the Griffin twins Anna and Umi are nice but they care a little to much about bits. But they are great at undercover work. Then there is the mare in charge she, well you know how names seem to foretell your talent? Her name is Legionnaire Cannonaid. Most call her Leona for short though. The one stallion is named Mickey he was found abandoned by griffins as a foal so the gave him a Griffin name." Shadow explains as he leads her to a carriage bay where they see a blue and black carriage on the back is a holding cell on the front is a small cannon. Two Griffins both with whte fur and wings and orange red feathers on head and neck. Lay cuddled up on top. A unicorn with a blue coat was humming a marching songs as she polished the cannon, and an earth pony stallion sat at a near by desk filling a mountain of paper work.

Eclipse snorted "Names do not always foretell talent commander. My name for example says nothing about my talent for Umbramancy. But this could get complicated is they get to rough." she said as she followed him

"Leona, Mickey, twins! Get up we've got two idiots to capture!" shouted Shadow.

The earth pony jumped making papers go everywhere as he salute before rushing to hitch up. The two griffin molies woke with a squawk and tumbled of the wagon landing on the unicorn. Shadow facehoofed "This is why I wanted any other squad."

Eclipse blinked and her right eye developed a worrisome twitch "What the buck commander. Now I see what you mean." she leaned into Shadow and whispered "Is this going to end badly commander?" her tone as worried as it was hushed.

"I just hope the property damage is below a one thousand bits this time and we can call it a good capture." he said as he got on the carriage.

Eclipse just got on the carriage without saying anything further. She directed them to the house where Shock Burst and Gold Coins lived, and hoped to Luna that things wouldn't turn into a fiasco...

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Half an hour later. The nighty and a some other,um personal items of Luna's scent on them have been recovered. But in the process two buildings had been leveled a third damaged, and a park torn up. The two idiots now sat in the holding cell still smoking from the cannon shot. As Leona Mickey and the Twins where in the captain's office while a lightly charred Shadow and gunk covered Eclipse stood outside. "Now you know why I hate that squad." said Shadow.

Still shuddering Eclipse coughed into her hoof. "Well it could be worse, we won't be getting the lecture that Shock Burst and Gold Coins are gonna get from their sisters. Was the cannon really necessary commander?"

"They were going to burn the evidence also they pissed of Leona and her talent is spell cannons, they got what they deserved; look on the bright side a least the other captains will be happy that those two got the Leona treatment. Also the court will get them first drunk and stupid doesn't change the fact that they committed multiple crimes." said Shadow as he put out a spark in his mane so that it didn't relight.

"I don't know commander, those two have a talent for dodging trouble. Also I want to note that it's odd that they would try to do that, they never have before." said Eclipse "Is there anything else commander? Or may I return to my quarters? I am not looking forward to explaining this the Storm and Silver, and I think it's going to take a week to clean this stuff from my coat."

"You can. I'll handle the debrief. Oh and believe it or not hard cider and that stuff comes right out. Also remember you still have to get up at moon rise for our regular shift." said Shadow.

Eclipse saluted "Thank you commander, I'll be there." she trotted back to her room to clean up and get some rest.