The Yin-Yang Syndrome - Book Two of The Princess and Her Guard Duology

Chapter Seven: Weapons of Old

The next morning I woke up, my head pounding, but in a good mood never-the-less as I crawled out of bed quietly intending on not waking Luna whom had me in a bear hug.

“Mmm... Moonlit? It's too early to get up” she said and I cringed, it was too early for her, but I needed to be up I had to supervise the training of several new unicorn recruits.

“Shh... Go back to sleep Luna, I have to go” Luna gave me a sleepy smile before she drifted back off. I looked towards the rising sun and sighed, this was not good, I had a fantastic date with Rainbow Dash, but... No... I can't... But then... BAH! I'll deal with the repercussions of the date later. Right now I have recruits to torment...

As per usual I wake up falling out of my bed. One of these days I am going to make my bed bigger so this doesn't happen... Though to be honest that probably won't happen...

“Um... Rainbow?” came a quiet voice down stairs, odd... I wasn't expecting any-OH! Fluttershy said she was going to visit me after she got out of the hospital today! How did I forget about that? “Rainbow? Are you awake?” Fluttershy called again and I sighed.

“Yes, Fluttershy, I am, I'll be down in a minute” I had to get dressed, after her visit I had to go on patrol again...

I paced around Rainbow's living room, it wasn't like her to not be waiting for me when I come over to visit, something must be wrong... Or so I thought as I heard her start to come down her stairs and I looked back at her and saw the biggest smile I had ever seen on her face and she wrapped me in a tight hug.

“I'm glad you are out of the hospital Flutters, it wasn't right with you locked up in there” she said and I blushed lightly.

“I'm glad I am out too. I have something to tell you” I managed to say, this was going to be hard I knew Rainbow had a crush on me for the longest time.

“Oh? What is it?” Rainbow asked as she smiled...

“I'm glad you are out of the hospital Flutters, it wasn't right with you locked up in there” I said and she blushed.

“I'm glad I'm out too. I have something to tell you” she said, oh Celestia, please don't tell me she is attracted to me! I don't like mares! Never-the-less I smiled.

“Oh? What is it?” I asked

“I'm in a relationship with Twilight” said Fluttershy and I gaped at her. I mean seriously it has hardly been a two days since Twilight had gotten back into Ponyville and Fluttershy was getting together with that... No I will be happy for her. I smiled a bit forcefully. “I'm so sorry, Rainbow, I know that you have a crush on-”

“Whoa whoa whoa! Who said I have a crush on a mare?” I asked a little angrily and Fluttershy flinched.

These recruits are the worst I have ever seen, they would never make it out of boot, and that was if they were lucky enough to even get that far. Seriously, who let them pass through the mental exam, several of them wanted to get in just so they can, in their words, “Kill the Solar scum” I rolled my eyes at that but scowled...

“So let me get this straight, we've been friends most of our lives and not once did you think to ask me whether or not I liked fillies or colts?” I asked incensed and my friend flinched one more, and for once I didn't care, I thought she knew me! “I'll have you know I had a date last night with General Moonlit” I said my words biting into her, which I noticed and took a deep breath. “I-I'm sorry Flutters, I just thought you knew that I was straight” Fluttershy shook her head while cringing back still...

Rainbow hates me, how can she not? I should have known that she was straight. I have been a bad friend again...

“I'm sorry Rainbow...”

I screwed up big time. I really need to fix this... Maybe... I dunno...

“No, I am sorry Flutters” I managed to say, and the room fell into an uncomfortable silence until I spoke up again. “So... You and Twilight?” I asked and Fluttershy blushed and nodded but the silence grew more comfortable as her and I started to talk about our respective relationships, even if it was a little premature to call mine a relationship...

I took a breath, and was about to raise the sun when I noticed that the moon had yet to set, worried I attempted to move it on my own and to my relief it obeyed me, which meant that Luna had probably just overslept, something I do not begrudge her for doing once and a while, even I had overslept before and she had to raise the sun.

“Empress, there are some ponies here to see you” came a voice outside my chambers and I frowned, the only ponies allowed to disturb me while I was in my bed chambers weren't even in Canterlot at the moment.

“Inform them that they will wait for me in the royal court, or they will be in court for violating the law” I said harshly, I may try to be benevolent for the most part, but nopony invades my personal space.

“Empress! They-ARGH!” the door burst in and two Sarti followed by several Gritu one of them covered in the blood of the two Solar guard that had been stationed outside her room.

“They had wives and children at home!” I snarled before I summoned my battle ax which was heavily enchanted in the past to do damage to these creatures and their masters. “I will make you and yours pay for this grievous mistake”

I suddenly shot up out of bed, my instincts saving me from a spear of light vibrating where I was not a moment before and I glared towards the source only to gasp as I saw two Gritu and several Sarti with two of my Lunar Guard hanging by their neck, the Gritu's hands having pierce through the middle of their necks, hopefu-

“-cough-We're sorry-cough-Consul, we-cough-failed you” gasped one of them before her eyes rolled up and tears rolled down my face, my subjects were tortured before they past, and I WILL NOT LET THIS SLIGHT PASS with a jerk of my hand my sword, long forgotten in the shadows―enchanted to cause as much damage as it could to these creatures and their masters―appeared in my hand.

“You will pay for this, you and your masters.” I said my teeth bared. I knew exactly what I was about to do, I was about to fall into the old fighting style which led me to becoming Nightmare Moon all those years ago, relying so heavily on my magic skills as my physical strength was negligible in comparison to my sister's whom I was sure was facing her own issues at the moment...

Meanwhile both Rainbow Dash and Moonlit felt a ping in their minds as if someone whom they were bonded to needed their help.

“I'm sorry Flutters but I have to go, if you run into any Armada members send them to the Consul's castle ASAP” I said my gut telling me I had to go NOW

“Al-alright Rainbow” with that I shot out, no through my front door, if my gut was right, that was the least of my worries...

“All of you-LUNA!” I shouted as I turned toward the castle before turning and glaring at the recruits who had started whispering. “All of you get back to the barracks, NOW, and tell your commanders to send some forces to the castle ASAP, that is an order recruits!” I said before I started running down the path only for the ground to suddenly end up several feet below me and I noticed Rainbow Dash dressed for war even though this was her day off, me I was fully armored and armed already, but apparently she got the same feeling I did too.

My battle ax tore through the Gritu like a hot knife through butter, however when I turned the blade on the Sarti it was as if I was fighting them with minor light spells, sure it hurt them, and, if I hit them enough, eventually kill them, but as it was I was being pushed back. More guard had attempted to help only to be cut down by the Sarti mercilessly. Soon I was nearing my balcony, this wasn't good, as strong as I was, and in the air to boot, if the Sarti made it outside, they may decide that I was too much trouble and would go and kill my subjects...

Landing gracefully Moonlit ran inside, as I followed closely behind soon though we saw a sight that was awesome, in the true sense of the word, to behold, Luna was fighting these creatures on almost equal footing teleporting or summoning more blades to hold off the multitudes of creatures but as soon as they noticed us they attacked...

I drew my blade, and readied myself for combat while Rainbow did the same. However just as the first two were about to reach us, Luna appeared in front of us and knocked the creatures back.

“What are you two doing here!?” she asked franticly bringing her sword up to block another Gritu's strike

“Something told me that you were in trouble” Rainbow managed to say as she flew over Luna and slashed another of the Gritu. Wait... Did that mean she felt Luna's distress? No Moonlit, here and now, worry about the rest later...

My blade was having no effect on these creatures, but I'd be damned before I let someone hurt my Consul, or Moonlit. With that I took off and started flying around in circles and a small tornado started to form which pulled the creatures closer to me. Luna also flew into it and started to slash at the creatures with greater effect than my blows did...

While Rainbow and Luna had several of the Gritu occupied I turned to the few that had escaped the tornado and charged a shadow spell. It seemed that I was using more combat magic ever since the war than I ever had before it. Shaking my head clear of useless thought I charged at the creatures not giving them a chance to ready themselves my blade, shield, and shadow magic catching them off guard long enough for me to managed to kill one, but killing that one left me exhausted, these ones were different from the other Gritu...