Chapters In the past a group of pegasi was discovered by Princess Luna. Long before she let herself to fall to madness that sealed herself into the moon. The bat pegasi were her own personal guard called the Vanguard of the Moon, they followed their princess without question. During her uprising her guard took up arms against their day walking brethren but when all was said and done their lady was sealed into the moon and they were banished from Princess Celestia's lands until their Princess would return. The years turned to decades and then to centuries. The bat like pegasi lived life as well as they could. Sleeping during the day and going about their nightly activities as the day walkers had done in the day. Then after years of hoping and praying to their long lost Princess she came again to them in twilight.
Landing at the center of the city that had been built from the mountain itself it was magnificent to behold. Towers of the city square, homes, shops, blacksmiths, restaurants. Luna remembered it was smaller when she had last laid eyes on it but now is was the size of three ponyvilles she had to guess. Princess Luna landed drawing collected gasps and other ponies who quickly began kneeling at her hooves.
"Behold children of the night we have returned…" he voice boomed. One pony walked forward and bowing to his princess he looked up to her.
"Your Highness. I am Mayor Midnight, It has been so long… what is your command?" he asked amazed, he had now conceded to her authority. Luna looked down at Mayor Midnight.
"We are here to say that we are gathering my guard once again and I will restore the name of the bat pegasi. I wish you to form a roster of applicants." She said then looked around at her kneeling subjects.
"Rise my subjects." She ordered and everypony stood not believing that their beloved Princess had finally returned and more to that she was reforming the Guard. Then a single black and grey speckled Stallion stood up from the crowd.
"I will be in your guard Your Highness." He declared. Luna looked to him and her eyebrow raised.
"State your name stallion." She ordered. He looked to his left where a dark brown mare smiled and nodded to him. Gathering his strength he stepped forward.
"I am Night Vale. Your highness." He said bowing respectfully to her.
"We shall see Night Vale. I hope to see you in the ranks." She said stepping toward him.
Smiling the dark brown mare looked down at the small filly whose blue cat slit eyes looked up at her and smiled.
"That was the day daddy became the Captain of the Vanguard of the moon." Her small voice said smiling.
"Yes it was a most joyous night then and now your father is very busy with dealing with the night guards." She chuckled explaining.
"Can you tell me again? Of when Princess Luna came back to us and made dad Captain of the guard." She asked again. Her mother sighed shaking her head.
"Now is not the time Night shade." She said nuzzling her foul lovingly.
"Now is time for sleep." She said walking to the bedroom door beginning to close it.
"Good day." She smiled closing the door leaving her filly to sleep. Walking down the stone stairs she went to the kitchen and began to clean the dishes that was made from dinner when the door opened and Night Vale walked in wearing his armor he sighed closing the door. He smiled to her which she returned in kind. He removed his helmet and walked to her kissing her cheek.
"How was your night love?" she asked smiling, the butterflies in her chest had never left from every time he walked back through the door.
"Oh dear… it has been such a long one who would have thought the guards still held such animosity towards each other, Shining Armor and I have tried to work things out but now since he married Princess Cadance it's been hard to keep everypony in check I just broke up a tiff before coming back." He explained as he continued to remove his armor. She finished the dishes, dried her hooves and walked over to him then began to help him remove his chest plate placing it on a mannequin.
"Thank you Flo." He said. Flo chuckled warmly.
"I have no doubt you will work out the problems, it's all in the past now. Princess Luna has changed as well." She pointed out as she looked to him. He had aged under the strain of being the captain of Princess Luna's guard, she could see it. Nuzzling his mane Night Vale looked down at his wife and smiled.
"How was Night Shade? She go to bed without a fuss?" he asked
"She wanted to me to retell the day Luna returned and you asked to be in the guard. I think she might wish to be in the guard when she gets older." She said poking her hoof into his shoulder teasingly. Night Veil smiled despite his tired state.
"I don't know but it is up to her whether or not it is her destiny." He chuckled. Flo looked at the time it was 6:30 in the morning.
"Time for us to retire don't you agree?" she asked. Night Veil chuckled and nodded as she walked in front to him going to the bedroom and retiring for the night.
The evening began to come, as Night Shade awoke before her parents and slipped form her covers. Slowly opening the door she walked downstairs and saw her father's armor. She gushed and looked at the way it was crafted then picking up her father helmet and placed it on her head and looked into a mirror. It was too large for her but she loved how it looked on her and soon she was strutting in front of the mirror. Raising her bat wings she tried to look as fearsome as her father did when he was giving his orders.
"You looking to be Captain of the Vanguard?" came her father's voice behind her making her jump and shriek landing on her back with her father's helmet covering her eyes. Night Veil chuckled as he pulled the helmet off looking at his daughter who smiled awkwardly up to him. Flo laughed lightly as she walking into the kitchen and began to make breakfast. He put his helmet back and lifted his filly up and set her upright and walked to the table.
"What do you have planned for tonight?" he asked Night Shade
"I believe we are going to learn on the origin of the bat pegasi." She said sitting across from him.
"Ah, take those studies to heart. It's important to know our history if you ever hope to be a member of the guard." He said slightly seriously, he wanted her to do well in her studies and well if a few nudges in the academic direction couldn't hurt. Night Shade nodded looking serious. Flo placed food in front of Night Shade, Night Veil then set a plate for herself. Breakfast was quiet as they ate, but Night Shade broke the silence.
"What are you doing tonight dad?" she asked as he finished the breakfast.
"I am going to make sure the night patrols go on without a hitch. We are escorting her highness to ponyville for an audience with princess Twilight." He explained then stood up putting on his armor. Night Shade stopped eating and went to help her dad. She began to tug on a strap. He chuckled and let her help. He placed his helmet on then looked to Flo who smiled at Night Shade helping her father. After they finally got his armor sitting right, Night Veil walked over to Flo and kissed her passionately which drew a disgusted look from Night Shade.
"Eewww." She exclaimed. Which both parents looked at her laughed.
"I'm off to duty, be good Night Shade study hard." He said walking to the door with Flo who opened it for him.
"Have a good night." She said wishing him well. That was the Last time they ever saw Night Veil.
Night Shade never forgot the day her father never came home. There was a knock at the door late that morning waking her mother. Getting up from her bed she walked to the door and opened it to see Shining Armor and a member of each night and day guards the night guard was second in command Dark Shadow she didn't recognize the Day guard.
"What is this about where is Night Veil." She asked looked at them. Shining Armor seemed to wince but Dark Shadow stepped forward and looked to her.
"Im sorry Black Flower." He said pulling out a battered helm of the guard she knew who belonged to. Her knees trembled as they gave out from under her and standing behind her was Night Shade tears brining as her mother's cries of anguish cut through them like a knife. Shining Armor was trying his best not to cry.
"Night Veil was an amazing stallion…and I was honoured to call him my friend. If there is anything I may do." He said as Night Shade walked beside her mother and placed her wing over her mother as she buried her head into her daughter's neck. Night Shade's lower lip trembled as tears streaked her cheeks.
"How…how did he." She asked trying hard for her voice not to break.
"It was a Changeling Raiding party they seem to be encroaching on our borders." Dark Shadow said looking at the young filly.
"The attack was sudden and quick but your father put up a valiant fight saving his small patrol of 10 only losing three including his own life. 7 Stallions and mares owe him a debt of gratitude for saving their lives." He placed his hoof on her head.
"Your Father was …" he was going to try and comfort them but Night Shade looked at him defiantly.
"He IS the best stallion you will ever know and he is still with me…I will join the guard…and avenge my father's death." She said harshly drawing mixed glances from Shining Armor and Dark Shadow, the fire in her eyes showed a determination what would not be dimmed by time or distance to her goal.
Three Years later.
Black Flower walked upstairs and opened the door to see Night Shade now a Young mare coming into her own now putting on her guard academy uniform.
"It suits you just as it did him." She said walked beside her. Night Shade looked at her reflection then her father's battered helmet, and back to her mother.
"I have to do this." She said again. Her mother looked at her with trepidation but nodded then pulled a strap making it fit into place perfectly. Flo smiled at her daughter in the mirror, something that she hadn't done often since he passed. Night Shade smiled unsure then picked up her father's helmet and placed it on her head, it now fit her like it fit him. Her blue eyes looked at the scars on the left side and steeled herself.
"I will write mom… and keep the care packages coming." she smiled as she nuzzled her mother lovingly. Black Flower hugged her close not wanting to let her go but knew it was what he would have wanted. She escorted Night Shade to the train where it would take her to Canterlot. With one last goodbye and a crushing hug that left Night Shade almost breathless. Boarding the train she left everything she knew and loved venturing into a world she didn't know but wanted to defend which was odd, she did not blame anyone for her father's death but she had heard nothing from Princess Luna. It angered her only slightly but then again she understood a simple captain of the guard was easily replaceable, He thought of that began to boil and fester an anger that has burned inside her for years.
The train ride was slower than if she were to fly, but they arrived in Canterlot during the early morning. The sun was Beginning to crest over the east as she stepped from the train being greeted by 3 Vanguard of the moon stallions who barked orders at the group arriving. She hadn't realized but she wasn't alone as several other bat pegasi stepped out from other cars in academy guard uniforms.
"Get in Line! Prepare for roll call!" he boomed, a jet black Stallion ordered the cadets who were clumsy and slow to form a two lines standing at attention Night Shade's eyes became steely and did not move as several of the new recruits fidgeted and shifted from hoof to hoof uneasily.
"Star, Dusk." He bellowed.
"H-here." Came a unsure voice.
"Never say here it is from now on Yes Vanguard Do you all understand!" he shouted walking up and down the ranks.
"Y-yes Vanguard." Came a mixture of voices.
"I SAID DO YOU ALL UNDERSTAND!`` he shouted.
Yes Vanguard! they all said. He continued down the list of names
"Bow, Dust." He shouted.
"Yes Vanguard!" A dark grey mare said loudly
"Club, Orion." He said next.
"Yes Vanguard." the dark chocolate stallion said in response to his name. The last name on the list slowed the Vanguard. But then he barked looking up for the name to the voice.
"Shade, Night." He said less explosively
"Yes Vanguard!" She said loudly. The Jet black stallion walked to her and inspected her.
"Night what is wrong with your helmet." He said collecting himself.
"Nothing is wrong Vanguard!" she said keeping her gaze forward.
"There is damage done to your helmet what did you do?!" he ordered an explanation.
"This helmet belonged to my father who fell in battle and I carry it to remember him." She said without stopping.
"How very heartfelt. Remove that helmet it is not yours! You have to earn your strips, we of the Vanguard do not earn our place by someone else's deeds but by the ones we do ourselves!" he shouted.
"And that goes for all of you here, whomever you knew or know in the Vanguard counts for squat now you only have each other and that is all you will get. Night!" he then shouted
"Yes Vanguard!" she said quickly choking back her anger at being put on the spot. Removing her helmet and tucking it under her arm.
"Keep your helmet with you but get a new one, you are not to wear your father's helmet till I deem you worthy! Do I make myself clear!" he said staring down at the young mare.
"Yes Vanguard!" she acknowledged
"OK all of you cadets are to take whatever belongings you have brought with you be begin in-routine follow Vanguard Helon." He ordered as he turned to talk more secretly with the other stallion who had a dark red tint to his fur and wings.
"Follow me and don't fall behind." Vanguard Helon ordered and no pony argued. Night Shade walked in the group and the mare, the one called Dust Bow was beside her.
"Hi I'm Dust Bow." The dark grey mare introduced.
"Night Shade." she said.
"Are you ok Vanguard was kind of mean." She said being trying to comfort her.
"No need to be concerned. They do it to weed out the weak ones." She said as a dark chocolate stallion walked up beside Dust Bow.
"They don't joke around here eh?" he said nudging Dust.
"What did you expect, my uncle said that they were going to be on us like moss on a rock as soon as we got off the train." She said. Ne nodded chuckling
" He was right." He said then looked to Night Shade.
"Names Orion Club. Your already in the Vanguards sights would hate to be you." He said to her.
"Its no matter to me I will graduate and get into the Vanguard." She said without any hint of doubt. Orion and Dust looked at each other. They group entered the academy and was up to attention in the main hall and filed in one by one to do their paperwork and files. When all was done they were taken to their barracks as the sun was high in the sky making them shield their eyes from the intensity most had never been in daylight including Night Shade. When they walked into their barracks it was co-ed so stallions and mars were in the same sleeping areas which made some of the mare uncomfortable to say the least but there was a curtain for a section where the mares would sleep during the day. The bunk beds were stacked 3 up high. Night Shade put her father helmet on the middle bunk as Dust Bow plased her things on the bottom and then a third mare took to flight and placed her saddle bags on the top bunk then landed beside them.
"Hi bunk mates I'm Silent Shimmer." She said holding out a hoof in a gesture of good will. Night Shade looked away and went to her locker that was in between two others. Dust Bow shook her hoof and smiled apologetically
"Dust Bow, this is Night Sade hope we become good friends." She said. Silent Shimmer looked at Night Shade and looked unimpressed but shrugged.
"Let's get through this academy together." She agreed.
"Everypony in front of your Racks now!" came a booming voice and everypony quickly stood at attention in front of the beds. The jet black Vanguard from the train station walked into the barracks and soon was eyeing everypony as he marched down the barracks.
"Welcome to your first day. We Vanguard operate on one kind of time not Princess Luna's or Princess Celestia's but the Vanguards time! I do not care if you are tired you will follow the directions of the Vanguards who direct you. And as your welcoming gift to Luna's guard academy Get out and give me 10 laps around the field now!" he bellowed and all of the ponies exited the barracks and onto the field as some of the cadets began to use their wings.
"IF I SEE ANYPONY USE THEIR WINGS I WILL GARENTEE YOU DON'T EAT DINNER!" he yelled as he followed the last pony out onto the field. Night Shade looked to Dust Bow and Orion Club who was staying beside her along with Silent Shimmer. Night pulled back allowing other to get ahead of her she came beside Silent Shimmer who looked to her and she smiled a small smile back as they began their first day in the academy.
Night Shade eyes shot open at the loud sound of the barks and orders of Vanguard Helon. It had been a week since she had first arrived at the academy and so far her hooves hurt, wings were soar and she found it hard to carry on but somehow she was coping. Dust Bow rolled out of her bed quickly making it as Sunset Shimmer floated down beside them quickly going to her locker to get her saddle bag and papers. Night Shade did the same and grabbed her bags and papers as Dust struggled with her bed. Without being asked Night Shade went to the other side of Dust's bed and helped her finish her bed.
"Thanks." Dust said smiling.
"Anytime now come on we don't want to be late for roll call." Night said. Dust nodded and quickly grabbed her bags and effects. The three quickly met up with Orion as they left the barracks and formed up infront of Vanguard Helon who waited 2 more minutes before he went into the barracks bellowing in anger at how slow the other cadets were. Orion chuckled getting looked from a few of the cadets already in formation.
"Wow i wonder what they have for us tonight." he asked quietly directed at Night.
"I haven't a clue. Just do what they say and everything will work out, i guess." she said.
"Riiight." he said slightly sarcastically.
"Shhhh." Sunset shushed them quickly as Vanguard Helon came out of the barracks chasing the last cadet out into formation.
"Squad left turn!." he ordered. The ponies quickly turned to obey. They cadets needed more practice in drill to look sharp for their graduation that was 3 months away.
"Forward March." Vanguard Helon ordered as he marched them to the first classes. Filing into a classroom they were quieted when the somepony called the room to attention and eveypony stopped moving instantly. A pony by the name Vanguard Blot walked into the room surveying the group.
"At ease." he said and everypony visibly relaxed.
"I am going to teach you the history of the Vanguard of the Moon." he said pulling down a white backdrop. Nodding to Vanguard Helon a picture showed up with old writing detailing the beginnings of the Vanguard.
"The Vanguard was created in response to the need of more troops to combat a rising problems of night time crime activity. The day guards were more tired and less effective after long days of work. Filling in at night we lightened the load on them making it a well balanced time in equestrian history for the guards." Vanguard Blot removed his helmet, his mane was a dusty silver color trimmed to a short cut.
"After the problems were resolved the Princess Luna of the night saw use for us considering we are children of her doman so to speak." he explained walking down the aisle explaining. he looked to Dust and then looked to Night.
"Then our ancestors 1000 years ago followed our Princess who had fallen from grace and in doing so we had doomed ourselves to banishment for fighting along side nightmare moon." He said looking around drawing mixed emotion from the cadets. Vanguard Blot walked again to the front of the class.
"Does anyone have questions thus far we have only begun." he asked. Dust raised her hoof, he nodded to her.
"Yes..." he paused for her to give her name.
"Bow...Vanguard Dust Bow." she said.
"Yes Bow what is your question." he asked.
"How was it that the Vanguard followed Nightmare Moon when it was simply against the good of Equestria." she asked blatantly getting looks of shock and awe at her questioning. Vanguard Blot smiled.
"That is a fair question Dust Bow. The answer is that back in the day the Vanguard did not swear an oath to the country but to Princesses themselves so under oath the vanguard was bound to follow the princess to whatever ends good...or bad." he explained then continued.
"It was later after the imprisonment of Nightmare Moon that the guards in part would be incharge more for the safety of Equestria as a whole while only a select few would be the personal guard of the Princesses to stop any future problems." he said. Everypony looked around fascinated by how blunt he was not cutting anything out.
In truth many of the bat ponies had harbored a dislike of Celestia for banishing them from interacting with any other members of Equestria. Luna had changed that but still they were very set in their ways rarely did anypony other then bat ponies visited their city. Sunset Shimmer raised her hoof earning a nod from Vanguard Blot.
"So I am wondering one last thing. What are our duties now being in the Vanguard of the moon?" she asked. His response was first of laughter then looked to her.
"First you have to pass but ill tell you know to be a Vanguards of the moon means to be a member of the Princesses personal guard." He summarized.
"You all will serve in your own ways. If you pass you will be a Vanguard but only the elite will be Vanguards of the Moon." he said looked over the room.
"Now next slide." Vanguard Blot said and it flicked over to a more recent picture.
"More recent is our return four years ago. Our first Guard Captain was Night Veil." he said as the picture of him slit up next. Night Shades chest swelled and her eyes began to brim with tears. She looked away trying to breath evenly but it was proving difficult, Vanguard Blot's instruction seemed to become a distant voice. Orion had been sitting beside her and he nudged her bringing her back to the class just before Vanguard Blot turned to look in their direction.
The lecture continued on till the afternoon then they were dismissed for lunch and the four of them walked to the mess hall getting food and sitting together.
"Hey Night what was that about?" Orion asked raising an eyebrow.
"What was what?" Dust asked sitting across from her beside Sunset.
"Its nothing ok." Night said taking a bite of her hay sandwich.
"You looked like you were about to." Orion continued but stopped short at her glare.
"Night Shade were here for you...you know maybe we have only known you for a week but i feel we can be good friends." Dust Bow said. Sunset nodded to her as she drank her apple juice from a straw.
"The stallion you saw in the pic...who was the first Captain of the guard for Princess Luna was my father." she said now losing her appetite.
"What?! No way your his daughter!" Sunset said surprised. Orion was not as enthusiastic.
"Sunset Shimmer Night Veil was killed in action during a changeling raid." Orion said putting a comforting hoof on Nights shoulder but she pulled away. Drawing a look of concern from her new friends.
"I have dealt with it." she said concisely. The group finished their lunch and went back to class for the rest of the night. As the Day came they all returned to their barracks Dust Bow tapped Night Sade on the shoulder before they went in.
"I dont know if i should thank you properly Night Shade." Dust said. Night looked at her peculiarly.
"What for?" she stopped and faced her.
"My mother is in the Vanguard. she wouldn't be alive if not for your fathers sacrifice." she said looked at the ground shamefully. Night Shade's breath was slow but her heart caught in her throat.
"I..I" she tried to speak, since the time learning of her fathers death she had to grow up not just for herself but for her mom. Dust hugged her unexpectedly. Night Shade didn't fight her, lifting her hoof she hugged her. She hadn't had a friend to lean on or talk to she had been to busy with studies to get into the academy but now she had a small group of ponies she had gotten use to.
"I am so thankful and so sorry..." Dust said as tears of sincerity brimmed in here eyes. Night shade didn't say anything for she couldn't. Nuzzling her she smiled.
"Its ok..." was all she managed to say then turned away to get ready for the next day of training.
