The Duty of the Captain
By: Dapper Dastard
Part #1: An Unexpected Visitor
It was truly a sight to behold.
Even at night, it had a certain splendor to it. The moon, only a slim crescent in the darkened sky, donated just enough light to allow it to shine. From a great distance away one could find it on a night like this. A pony would only need to gaze at that glowing tower on the horizon and they would know exactly what they saw. Now that it had return after so many absent years, ponies across Equestria could marvel at the beauty of this place. But to those ponies who lived there, it was simply home. A home they were glad to have back. This beautiful peaceful place.
This Crystal Empire.
It was nights like this where a stallion didn’t mind being on night watch. The moon and stars held dominion over the sky. There wasn’t a cloud to be seen in any direction. Being the waning months of summer, the weather remained pleasantly warm, but not so hot that his armor felt uncomfortable. On nights like this, he could relax at his post at the western side of the empire. With the stars above and the crystal fields out in the distance, the scenery appeared picturesque. A painted landscape you might expect to find framed in a famous museum. And while the hours may pass slowly, he couldn’t care less.
However, it was more than the lovely scenery that kept him in good spirits during this watch. The peace of the night was nice, but the harmony that rested on the Empire, now that was special.
The Crystal Empire’s initial return was, chaotic, to say the least. The crystal ponies returned with almost no memories of the days before their slumber. Everything happened so quickly when they all came back; from the Crystal Fair to Sombra’s revival, to the reawakening of the Crystal Heart and the rise of their new leader, Princess Cadence. It transpired so fast; looking back it seemed like a blur of events. Those feelings of confusion and fear upon waking up, uncertain whether their future would bring hope or despair. Yet after it was all over, things turned out all right.
That was all behind them now.
Now the kingdom was at peace. The only event of any significance since had been the bid for the Equestria Games. A bid the empire had proudly won. While the ongoing preparation for those games brought its own dose of stress, it was a happy stress. The games would be a celebration of their kingdom, and no pony minded having to put in a bit extra work for that. In the meantime, Princess Cadence captured the hearts and minds of all the crystal ponies, who were proud to return to love and care she had shown all of them. At her side the Captain of the Royal Guard of Canterlot, Shining Armor himself, protected them from harm.
Beyond that they had heroes to spare, those wonderful ponies to whom they owed their current amity. The newly crowned Princess Twilight Sparkle who, along with her friends, worked tirelessly to bring back the Crystal Fair and keep the spirit of the kingdom strong. Her work helped resurrect the Crystal Heart, their greatest defense against approaching danger. At her side another hero of the empire, the great and honorable Spike the Dragon, who nobly risked his life to bring the Crystal heart to Cadence. With such a long list of champions, how could one not feel adequately secured? Indeed, there wasn’t a pony in the whole of the empire who would change a thing about any of it.
All of this meant that for this lone guard watching the entrance to the kingdom, he could expect another uneventful night. The appearance of one of the patrol guards would be the only break in his silent vigil.
As if on command, he heard a set of hoof-steps approaching.
The steps stopped suddenly as the patrol guard detected he had drawn near company. Noticing he had approached one of his superiors standing guard, he gave a formal greeting.
“Good evening Major Hightower”
The major turned to see a younger stallion, whose name he did not know, standing at attention a few yards away. Holding proper stance, the recruit presented a salute to his superior. Major Hightower guessed that it must be a new recruit, given the nature of his address. After a while most of the night guards treat one another in a casual manner, ditching the formal salutes and stances for a simple wave and hello. While the respect is appreciated, it’s entirely unnecessary at the current moment.
“At ease rookie. No need for the formality at this hour. You must be new to the night shift”
The young colt eased his posture and walked over towards the ranking officer. Being at ease around superiors can often be more nervous for youngsters than standing at attention. At least then they knew what to do. When told to be relax they look lost, unsure of what to do with your hooves. This certainly held true for Major Hightower’s visitor, who stood tensely, trying to figure how casual he is allowed to look.
“So, are you new to the night watch?” Repeating his initial question.
“Oh. yes, sorry, uh sorry sir. My second night only. Covering a shift for a friend who’s on vacation….sir”
Rookies.
The stuttering, the over use of ‘sir’, and the general nervousness. All of it so typical of new recruits. While rank is necessary and there are times when the chain of command must be followed, this was not one of those times. They were at peace now. Times like this gave the added benefit of allowing for an air of informality between soldiers, regardless of authority. Over time he would learn, as all rookies do. Everypony is on the same side anyway.
“Well then allow me to be the first to say welcome, unless somepony else has beaten me to it. It can get boring out here, so I hope you deal well with large hours of nothingness.”
The younger stallion laughed, trying much too hard to find the humor in the remark.
“I don’t mind sir. It’s peaceful out here, has its own benefits.”
“That’s the right attitude to have,” the major looked out into the distance, taking in the sights of the night. “Been taking this shift for several years, always found some inner tranquility doing it. You get even more used to it as time goes on.”
“Absolutely sir.”
Major Hightower was about one more ‘sir’ from having a fit. None of the other night shift guard ever called him sir. Not after spending so many hours occasionally bumping into each other. It almost feels weird to have anypony refer to him in that way.
“Your shift just begun?” he asked the newbie.
“Yes sir, I’ll be making rounds until the sunrise.”
“Same here. The darkest part of the night. At least you get to watch that glorious sunrise as it reflects of the crystals. You ever take the time to watch it?”
“A few times sir. It’s really beautiful.”
“Yes it is son, yes it is.”
Both stallions paused, each reflecting on their own memories of viewing the rising sun. The distinctive gleam as it passed over the crystal palace; illuminating the entirety of the kingdom in its warm embrace. How blessed they were to again be able to watch that sunrise in peace. A fact not lost on either of the two.
The major spoke again, breaking the silence of nostalgia.
“Well, I don’t want to hold you up for too long. You’ve got rounds to do I’m sure. Pleasure talking to you and good luck.”
“Thank you sir, have a good night.” The young stallion saluted again, raising his front right hoof in front of forehead. He walked off into the distance, getting ready to circumnavigate the kingdom. A task that takes a fair amount of time. As the patrol guards circled, they looked around for anything out of the ordinary, along with checking on the stationary guards to make sure there is no action. Like any other night, he would most likely find nothing of interest.
Only after he was gone did Major Hightower realized he never gotten the recruit’s name. He must be getting older than he thought. If he ever recognized the youngster again he’d make sure to remedy that. As a veteran, he felt it was important to get to know the other guards. Younger guards always performed better when they felt a good connection to their fellow soldiers, both of similar age and the higher ups. A responsibility he took upon himself, as did many other ranking officers. A duty Shining Armor himself assumed with exceptional dedication.
Alone again, the major went back to watching the silent landscape in front of him. The vast stretch of fields, the spires of crystal out in the distance, the train station out on the horizon. All of it so familiar. After this long how could it not be? He’d spent a great number of hours looking at this same scenery. And not a living thing in sight of any of it.
Or maybe not.
Something out of the ordinary caught the major’s attention.
Major Hightower squinted his eyes. While not as good as they used to be, his sight served him well. Out in the distance, he saw a faint glow. Focusing in on it, he tried to make sure it wasn’t the moonlight playing tricks on him as it reflected of the crystals. The longer he looked the more certain he felt that it wasn’t. The light appeared greenish, although too far away to tell the exact shade. He tried to think of something that could project that light. Sometimes a ewe or other animal made its way out of the empire’s limits. Yet this didn’t look like any animal he could think of.
Being a diligent soldier, the major left this post to go investigate. Far from nervous, he assumed it would end up being nothing of consequence; firmly believing there was no need to alert any other guards or cause a commotion. He would be back at his post in a jiffy once he solved this mystery. The walk up to this enigmatic sight took him a fair distance from his post, his legs not yet stiff from hours of standing mostly still. As he approached the light, he could better determine the color. It was a dark green, yet glowing bright enough that the night’s cover didn’t diminish the luminosity. He still couldn’t make out the source. The closer he got, the more his curiosity piqued. After how long he’d been serving, there weren’t many things that surprise him; this was shaping up to be one of those rare occasions. Soon enough he found himself almost on top of it.
Right as he reached the spot, the light began to move. It’s sudden motion catching the major unprepared, taking a quick step backwards out of surprise. At first he could only see a crumpled mass on the ground, but soon it began to take shape. The origin of the glow stood up, and the shape distinguished itself. Four legs standing on the ground, a size and shape similar to his own. It was another pony. More specifically, a unicorn. The origin of the green light finally discovered, magic glowing from the horn atop his head. Standing erect, Major Hightower could finally make out more of its appearance. A gray unicorn stood before him. Even more peculiar, this unicorn appeared to be wearing military armor, not unlike the armor he currently wore himself.
Major Hightower stared in silent astonishment. The unicorn in front of him made no movements, bowing his head to keep his face hidden from view. Realizing he should say something to the stranger, the major attempted to regain some composure and spoke to the shadowy figure.
“Are you okay? What are you doing out her at this hour?” He asked, unable to mask his confusion over finding another pony out here during the darkest part of the night.
He received no response. Raising its head, the gray unicorn finally showed its face. From under the helmet a crooked smile spread on the stallion’s lips. The horn glowed even brighter, a mass of energy forming at the tip. Before Major Hightower had a chance to react, a blast of magic shot forth. It struck him square in his chest plate, launching him backwards off his hooves. He landed hard on his back, skidding a few more feet before stopping. His assailant moved forward, slowly taking his time to reach his destination. Through the pain and disorienting ringing in his head, Major Hightower could hear the thud of armored hooves coming towards him, a feeling of dread accompanying each step.
The major feared this could well be the end. His consciousness was fading fast, the strength of the surprise attack doing significant damage. The protection afforded by his armor the only reason he was still awake. Major Hightower wanted to move, try to run or fight back, but his body had given up on him. The attacker made no move upon reaching him, electing to simply stare down his conquered foe, standing less than a full step away from him. The major tensed up his entire body, fearing what may come next. Without taking any action, the armored stallion turned around, leaving Major Hightower where he lay. He walked slowly out into the distance until he had left the major’s line of sight.
That would be the last thing Major Hightower would remember. His strength left him as he slipped into an unconsciousness state. A small glimpse of his attacker the last thing he would see this night. This not so peaceful night.
The sun had not yet fully risen, but he was already awake. He remained lying in his bed, trying to take advantage of every last second of rest before taking on the day’s affairs. His wife had already left the bed, and returned only to nudge the white stallion out of his stupor.
“Come on dear, it’s time to get up.” Her sweet voice one of better things one could imagine waking up to.
Yet his tiredness persisted.
“Can’t I have five more minutes?” He groaned in a weary voice.
“Nope.”
A quick gleam of pink and the covers were tossed from over his body. They landed in a crumpled mass on the floor nearby. If he tried to stay there any longer he would find himself thrown from the bed as well. Getting the message, he pulled himself up and stood to embrace the day. Stretching out his four hooves, his muscles told him to go back to sleep. A tempting option, but the risk of his wife’s ire pushed the thought from his mind.
She was right though, they did have things to do. Being the ruling couple of the Crystal Empire meant pretty much no days off for the two: Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, the beautiful alicorn and princess of love; the current ruler of the Crystal Empire; dutifully and lovingly assisted by Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard for Princess Celestia herself, fulfilling the same role here in the Crystal Empire. Together these were the highest authorities of the kingdom. As devoted to a fair and benevolent ruling of the empire as they were to each other.
With no field military matters to attend to, Shining Armor wore his military suit rather than his armor. That didn’t mean his day was free however. Ruling a kingdom provided an endless stream of activity for both of them. From meeting with the citizens, counsel meetings, balancing budgets, conferences, and all the other day to day activities, the two rarely got a break. Even so they wouldn’t have it any other way. They loved each other, they loved their kingdom, and they were proud to have the responsibilities they had. No matter how crazy it made things.
Shining Armor walked out towards the balcony of the palace. Stepping outside, he watched the rising sun as Princess Celestia finished bringing it to its apex in the clear blue sky. He took in the fresh air as he looked over the center of the town. Despite all his years of service he had never gotten used to the early mornings. His training had conditioned him to be able to start his day at sunrise, sometimes earlier. While he’d learn to accept it, he’d go right back to sleeping in if ever given the chance. Those few days he was able to, it would take a force of nature to move him from his bed before he wanted.
Glancing down over the city below, ponies were beginning to tackle the day. A few ponies were also heading off to work, much like himself. He felt a certain connection to those ponies who were deprived of the luxury of sleeping in. In his head they shared a bond that only those who rose in time with the sun could understand. However, as he looked down, something out of the ordinary caught his eye. From near the center of the city, a group of three guards were sprinting towards the palace, seemingly in some sort of panic. Mentally running through his schedule, he recalled that there shouldn’t be any scheduled event causing this kind of rush. Something must have happened. Walking back into the room, he began to make his way towards the door. He’d intercept the group as they came to find him and discover what the trouble was.
Noticing the concern on his face, Cadence stopped him before his exit. “Is something the matter?”
“I don’t know. I noticed some guards running over here. Something seems to have troubled them, I’m going to go find out.” He shrugged his front shoulders, unsure of what to expect when he met them.
On that note, Shining exited the room and made his way to the base of the palace. The crystal palace was a massive building, much too big for his tastes. Although not nearly as large as his former quarters in Canterlot, he still could have gone for a smaller abode. After a number of long staircases, he finally arrived on the ground floor, silently wishing for his younger sister’s teleportation magic to ease the journey. Just as he was about to reach the main doors, they burst open, the three guards he saw from the balcony quickly making their way inside.
They stopped once they saw their captain. Clearly the person they were looking for, their morning sprint concluded. The stallion who seemed to be leading the pack spoke up, rushing his words in a panicked tone
“Captain, we have a problem! There’s been an attack!”
Shining Armor’s eyes widened. Of all the possible problems he expected to hear, he never fathomed this. He immediately switched into response mode. Any lingering fatigue vanished as his job called him to action.
“Give me a full sitrep ASAP.” His tone was firm, speaking in the authority of his position, not letting the emerging sense of alarm in his gut show through. A captain had to keep his composure, acting as an example to all the other soldiers, no matter what was going on.
Taking a deep breathe, the front guard gave the news.
“Near the end of the night shift one of the patrolling guards discovered Major Hightower wasn’t at his post. After investigating he found the Major unconscious some distance the gate, a magic burn had destroyed part of his armor. He’s alive and currently receiving medical treatment. No sign of the perpetrator.”
Shining Armor quickly processed the story. Taking in every one of the limited details, his mind worked at a heightened pace. Years of training ensuring he could think effectively in a situation that may cause most to panic.
“Do you know where he’s being treated?”
“Yes sir!”
“Lead the way.” He pointed out the door into the town. The three guards all gave a quick salute before turning to lead their captain to the Crystal Empire’s hospital.
During the journey, Shining Armor tried to wrap his head around the news. There hadn’t been an attack on an empire
guard since the kingdom’s return. Crime in general felt mostly non-existent, only minor complaints and scuffles requiring any policing. A full-blown assault is unheard of; in most places across Equestria something like this would be a rare occurrence. It becomes all the more terrifying when it happens on your doorstep. More than anything he wanted to make sure Major Hightower was alright. Everything could proceed after that; the safety of those under his command comes first.
Galloping at an accelerated pace, they found themselves at their destination in a matter of minutes. Inside, Shining quickly located the room where they were treating Major Hightower. He peered through the open door to check in. Within the room, two nurses were fast at work attending to the wounded soldier. Luckily enough, there didn’t seem to be any distress in their movements. Major Hightower lay on the bed as one of the nurses finished bandaging his chest. He was conscious, barely, but fortunately he didn’t appear to be in any extreme pain. The quick work of the nurses keeping the damage and discomfort to a minimum. A sigh of relief escaped as one weight was lifted off his shoulders. Grabbing one of the nurse’s attention, Shining asked for the diagnosis.
The nurse reported the major’s prognosis in a practiced tone. She spoke to Shining Armor the same way she would to any other pony checking on one of her patients.
“He’ll be okay. It looks like a single magic blast to the chest. Most likely knocked him out on contact. We’ve applied medicine to start the healing and bandaged the wound. After some rest he should be back to normal activity in a few days. We can most likely send him home from the hospital tomorrow, keep him overnight just in case. He got lucky though, it could have been much worse.”
“Thank you. Would it be okay if I speak to him?”
“He’s still a bit dazed. Give him a few more minutes and he may be alright to talk. Don’t push him too hard alright Captain.”
“Understood, thank you again ma’am.”
Shining Armor waited outside of patient’s room. In the meantime he went over the reports from the guards, trying to get the full story. The guard who found the major unconscious had stayed at the hospital. He presented his side of the story. Shining Armor thanked him for finding the major and ordered him to stay put in case he needed to question him further. His report didn't add much to what he already knew. Combining the initial report and the nurse’s diagnosis, it looked as if a single attacker showed up in the middle of the night. The attacker took a single shot, then left. Until he talked to Major Hightower, he wouldn't be know much more.
Hell of a way to start the morning.
With the welfare of the major secured, Shining Armor could begin to focus on the act itself, and who would do such a thing. There hasn't been a true criminal in the kingdom since that monster was removed from the empire. And that villain called himself king. Peace has ruled since that day, the way it should be. The crystal ponies deserved this. After all they’d been through, this was the life they should have. He needed to make sure to apprehend this criminal quickly. Especially in a kingdom that survived on the strength and hope of its inhabitants, the power that gave strength to the Crystal Heart.
He told himself to stop worrying so much. The Crystal Heart wouldn't be in danger from one incident. There wasn't enough of the story to get this riled up. A conversation with the victim needed to happen first. On key with his thoughts, a second nurse exited the room.
“The major is awake and alert, you may go and talk to him now. Keep it short though, he needs a lot of rest.”
Shining Armor acknowledged the nurse’s orders and entered the room. Within, he saw the major laying on his back, covers pulled up to the top of neck. Seeing his captain come in, Hightower did his best to appear strong. Mustering up his remaining strength, he attempted to salvage lost pride from the night before. Shining respected the soldier’s conviction, he’d try to do the same thing in his situation. Watching him struggle, however, Shining Armor knew to talk him down.
“At ease Major. You’re injured, don’t push yourself. How are you feeling?”
“I’m sorry sir, I let him get the better of me. Let my guard done. Didn’t even see him coming.” His frustration apparent in the way he spoke.
“There’s no need to apologize. Don’t blame yourself for this. If you don’t mind I’d like to ask you about what happened last night.” Shining responded sympathetically, naturally feeling for the major’s plight. He had nothing to blame himself over. No pony is perfect, even a Captain of the Royal Guard gets caught off guard once in a while. One shapeshifting queen who nearly stole all his power came to mind.
Major Hightower gave an affirmative nod. A few moments passed as he recollected his thoughts from the night prior. Once ready, he began his story.
“It was a usual night to start, nothing out of the ordinary. Then I see this light out in the distance. I went out to investigate. I get to the spot and there’s this green light laying on the ground. Suddenly it springs up, and there’s a unicorn in front of me. Before I get a chance to say much of anything he shoots me right in the chest with magic. I thought he was going to finish me off right there, but he just left. Didn’t take or do anything more. The last thing I see is him walking off into the distance. Next thing I know I’m waking up in a hospital.”
Unfortunately the story didn’t add much to what Shining Armor already knew. The initial guess on what happened was proven correct. Beyond that the story produced no leads. Hoping to gain some information of value, Shining Armor questioned the major further.
“Did you see the attacker at all? Have any clue who he is or why he did it?”
“I got a decent glimpse of him sir. He was a stallion, unicorn, a similar size to yourself, both in height and build. His coat was gray, and he was wearing armor, much like our own military armor. Armor color was dark gray as well. Again, his horn magic was a dark green. Didn’t show much of his face, kept it mostly hidden under his helmet. Definitely not a pony I’d ever seen before. He didn’t enter the city, somepony would have noticed him. With a distinct appearance like that, no way he could have snuck in unnoticed.”
A description, finally something he could go on. The suspect is a gray stallion, wearing dark gray armor, and a unicorn who can use offensive magic. He lured his victim out away from his station with his horn’s light. No apparent motive, not someone who Major Hightower knew. He didn’t steal anything, nor make any move into the city. A seemingly random attack, devoid of motive. This only made things worse for trying to catch this criminal. Without a reason to his attack, it becomes that much harder to know if and when he will move again.
Shining Armor looked back at the fellow guard. The major looked tired, using the last of his energy to stay alert for further questions. Knowing he wouldn’t get any more useful information, he decided to let Major Hightower return to resting. He’d been there long enough, and the nurse would chastise him for disrupting her patient any longer.
“That’ll be all. You rest up and take as much time as you need. We’ll find who did this to you, alright.”
“Yes sir, thank you.”
Shining Armor exited the room, behind him he could hear the bed rustle as the major returned to his rest. The three ponies who he came here with, plus the guard who discovered the victim, were still in the waiting room, ready to receive their orders. Addressing the first responder, Shining Armor determined their next move.
“Take me to where you found Major Hightower. I know we’ve most likely searched the area already, but I’d like to head there myself.”
“Yes sir.”
Their small squad, five strong, moved out of the hospital. Leading the way, the one guard took them out the empire’s western entrance. That western gate was the major’s station, where he would have been keeping watch when he noticed the attacker’s bait. Out into the crystal fields, they traveled further away from the empire until the head of the procession came to a halt.
“Here we are sir” Rubbing a hoof in the ground, the guard made a mark in the dirt. “I was about right here when I found him.”
“Alright guards, fan out. I want one last thorough search of the area. Tell me if you find anything, and I mean anything, out of the ordinary.”
All five spread out in different directions, forming a sort of star pattern in their paths. Their heads turned downwards, they searched the area as thoroughly as possible. A search for clues that may not even exist. Occasionally one of them dug his hoof into the ground, pushing some grass or dirt aside to examine an area more closely. None of them found a thing. Maybe what could have been a hoof print here and there, but nothing they could consider a clue. Not that much could be expected, the criminal not being stupid enough to leave behind anything they could use to locate him, and the ground wasn’t soft enough to leave any trail to follow. After about thirty minutes of covering a wide area, Shining Armor called them back. He asked the others if they found anything, knowing full well what their answers would be. No use in wasting any more time in a fruitless effort. They began to make their way back towards the gates from which they exited. Little conversation came during the walk; Shining Amor preoccupied in thought and the others similarly too focused to make idle conversation.
Approaching the castle gates, Shining Armor was surprised to see his wife standing near the gate. He suddenly realized that the last time he’d seen her was before any of this got started. After he met the guards inside the palace he left in such a hurry that he forgot to tell her anything. Never having come back, he had left her completely in the dark, without an update on his travels. She seemed worried, and he wondered how much she knew.
Once he got close, she trotted out to meet him. “Honey, I heard from another of the guards what happened, is everything okay?”
“It’s not terrible, but it could be going a lot better. The major is fine, and that’s the most important thing. We have no leads on the perpetrator though, which is the bad news. Still trying to figure what to do now. Sorry for not letting you know I was leaving.”
Cadence shook her head, indicating that she required no apology for his actions. “Don’t worry about that. I just hope you can find this guy. If you need anything, dear, let me know. If I can help in any way I will.”
“Thanks. I just want to get this taken care of as soon as possible.”
“Don’t worry, I’m sure you will. Also I checked our schedules I can cover your morning obligations so you can focus on this.”
He’d completely forgotten he had morning commitments. His mind had been entirely preoccupied with the events at hand. Obviously that should be the case, but he hadn’t thought about making alternate arrangements.
“Oh Celestia I completely forgot about that.” Emphasizing the point by lightly smacking his hoof to his forehead.” Thank you so much for covering for me.”
“Of course dear.” She planted a quick kiss on his check. “You owe me a hoof massage though. Unfortunately I have to go back to the palace and prepare for citizen audiences. Good luck, although I know you don’t need it.”
Cadence turned to make her way in the direction of the royal palace. Her optimism giving him a much needed boost of confidence in this otherwise bleak day. Thinking about her schedule, Shining realized this was one of her only breaks in the day until tonight, and she had used it to check on him. Now that she chose to handle his morning obligations as well, she would have no time to herself. Yet she made no thought about sacrificing her own to time to help him, a decision he would make for her without hesitation. He truly considered himself the luckiest stallion in all of Equestria for having a mare like Cadence as his wife. Loving, kind, generous, smart, brave. She was everything to him. Keeping the empire safe meant keeping her safe. Just one more reason to solve this case as soon as possible.
Wasting no more time in thought, Shining rejoined his contingent to decide how to proceed. With no clues and no leads, they unfortunately had to switch to a reactionary approach. Going on a witch hunt to find the attacker would waste both time and manpower, especially since they didn’t know where to start looking. The distance the suspect could have traveled between now and the attack could put him miles away from the empire. In order to catch him they’d have to wait until he showed himself, then stop him before he could cause any more harm. Anything to make sure they didn’t have a repeat of yesterday.
Accepting his limited options, Shining Armor gave the four guards their final orders of the morning.
“Thank you guys for all your work today. I know we haven’t gotten much done but don’t worry, we’ll get this guy. The last thing I need from you guys is to contact the senior officers and send them to my office. Then you will be dismissed for the day. Understood?”
The four acknowledged their orders with a wordless salute. They departed, discussing between the four who should make contact with which target. Shining Armor trusted they could figure that part out on their own.
Alone, he began to make his way to the barracks where his personal office resided. The barracks for Crystal Empire’s guard forces was a large building not far from the palace. Built during a time which required a larger defense force, it was constructed to hold a large number of guards, in addition to their equipment and space for training. During peace however, the lion’s share of that space went unused. Its architecture was still a sight to behold; a marvelous crystal building built by the same ancient architects who brought most of the buildings here into existence. For functionality’s sake, however, it remained much too large in respect for what it needed to be.
Once inside, Shining Armor made a beeline to his personal office. The captain’s quarters were presented to him once he formally took control of his kingdom’s defense. The office was tremendously unorganized, an absolute mess of paperwork and a few personal effects. If Twilight ever saw the room she would be appalled by the amount of disorganization and disarray. The only furniture within were his desk and a couple of chairs for people who came to visit, which were almost never used. Some shelves hung on the walls if he needed to use them, and file cabinets he had long since gave up organizing sat in the corner. Preferring to be either out in the city or back in the palace with Cadence, if he didn’t need to be in here, he made a special point not to be. Paperwork bored him, and the lack of interaction bored him even more.
Shining Armor began rummaging through the stacks of paper in or on top of his desk. If he had put any time into consolidating all this junk, finding the desired documents would take no time at all. Not being the case, the search took considerably longer than it should have. After a few minutes he discovered what he was looking for: the map of the kingdom with divisions set in place for established guard locations. Like most important pieces from the kingdom’s past, it remained largely unchanged. He had adjusted it to fit their current needs by simply decreasing the number of guards at each post. As he looked over the map, the other ponies he had sent for entered the room in a single group, somehow meeting with one another while on their way here. Including Shining Armor, four ponies now stood in his office.
One could question how an outsider to the kingdom became captain of its royal guard without protest. When Cadence took on her role as Princess following Sombra’s defeat, there was little debate whether Shining Armor should take over as captain of the guard. His role in shielding the kingdom during there first days back proved his ability to any who doubted his merit. After all, he still held that same position for Canterlot, the home of Princesses Celestia and Luna themselves. Those crystal ponies who held military rank prior to the empire’s disappearance were reinstated to their former rank, if they so desired. Due to the current peace however, only a small guard force was necessary. This meant that fewer officer were needed to help Shining Armor run the empire’s defense. At the end of the re-structuring, three other guards took on leadership roles to assist their captain.
These ponies, four in total, controlled most of the executive function of the crystal guards. Two of them were older stallions, with long storied careers under their belts. Neither was fit for any field duty; that part of their profession had long passed. What they lacked in youth they more than made up for in experience. Shining Armor found their vast wealth of knowledge to be invaluable in his transition to the Crystal Empire.
The third member of Shining Armor’s cabinet was his personal project, Vice-Captain Solus Silvers, a young determined unicorn who jumped at the opportunity to take more responsibility in the diminished guard. It only took a short amount of time for Shining Armor to notice his potential and advance him through the ranks. Soon enough he earned a spot as the de facto second in command, a duty he took to like a dragon to a fire-ruby.
As his name betrayed, Silvers had a pure silver coat from head to rear. His tail and mane a luminescent gold, with a single streak of red hair running down the center of his tail. A piercing set of dark blue eyes decorated his objectively handsome visage. Adorned on both of his flanks, a golden helmet surrounded by sunbeams manifested as the stallion’s cutie mark. The life of a soldier destined for him from a young age. He was only a touch shorter than Shining Armor, but much slimmer, with a build that seemed fit for a flyer rather than a soldier. Everything from his posture to his speech exhibited his military upbringing. The phrase, all work and no play, felt an adequate descriptor of his attitude.
Shining Armor had been slowly teaching him everything he needed to know, in the slim chance Silvers ever needed to take over as captain. As a teacher, one couldn’t ask for a better student. One who ravenously devoured every lesson offered to him; almost too well in fact. In all regards, Silvers could be considered a model soldier, however, he had never learned to be a pony. There existed more than just the rigid rules of military life when it came to running the defense of a kingdom. At times a pony needed to drop the presence of authority and connect to the people as one of them. Silvers never grasped this, treating every pony he met as a civilian under his protection, but never as a fellow inhabitant. Not that he treated anyone as incapable or beneath him. Only that he couldn’t ever drop his soldier’s mentality. It remained the last lesson he needed his potential successor to learn, and possibly the hardest to teach. For now though, Shining Armor delighted in having such a dependable vice-captain at his side, and the trust he bestowed upon him was well-deserved.
Now that the four were gathered together their business could commence. He began by recounting the events of yesterday, much of which the other officers had already heard bits and pieces of. If the news worried them in the slightest, they didn’t let it show. Afterwards he recounted the investigation as it had gone during the morning. He gave all three the full description of the suspect, along with the other limited information he managed to get. Which he had to admit didn’t amount to much. Then he invited the other three to give their own two-cents about how to proceed. A mutual agreement came about fairly quickly as they decided upon a minor increase in guard presence, along with disseminating the suspect’s information towards all the guards. There wasn’t much they could do, but he wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page. It had been a while since any sort of wanton act of violence like this had happened; no one had fresh experience on handling a problem of this nature. Once the four had done all they felt they could, he dismissed the three and asked them to start making sure word on the suspect spread to all the guards.
Shining Armor lingered in his office for a moment longer after his fellow officers left. Staring down at the map, he heard a voice call back in from the doorway.
“Sir, if you have a moment can I make a request of you?”
Shining Armor looked up to see the Vice-Captain standing in the doorway. Curious as to why he hadn’t left with the others, he beckoned him into the room with a wave of his hoof.
“Of course, what can I help you with?”
“Sir!” He stiffened up into an entirely unnecessary salute. “Permission to take a shift on the night watch in order to keep watch for the suspect.”
Shining Armor wanted to be surprised at the vice-captain’s eagerness, but once he thought about, it was more surprising he hadn’t asked immediately. To be completely honest with himself, Shining Armor had considered doing the same. Despite how little information they had, his gut instinct told him this had the potential to get much worse.
“Silvers, you don’t need to ask my permission to go out on watch tonight.” Shining used an informal tone when speaking with his subordinate. When in private like this they could speak as equals, even when discussing formal matters. “We unfortunately have no reason to assume the suspect will return tonight. So you may just be wasting your time. Do you really think its necessary?”
“Yes sir! If there is any chance the suspect could come back I want to be ready to stop him.”
“So what will you do? Stay up all night running around the kingdom under the slim chance this guy comes back. And if he doesn’t, rest during the day and do it all again tomorrow. You sure you want to switch to being nocturnal. Last time I checked you aren’t a bat-pony.”
His attempt at a joke completely missed its mark on the humorless vice-captain. Instead he got the same slightly louder than necessary volume that characterized Silvers way of talking.
“I am prepared to do whatever it takes to apprehend the criminal.”
Shining Armor debated the merits of arguing the point further. Knowing his opponent though, he doubted it would have any effect. Only a direct order could get Silvers to back down. Although he had the authority to, it seemed wrong to give a direct order telling a soldier to not give his all in defending the empire.
“Than obviously you have the authority to put yourself on night watch. It will be a comfort to know you are out there protecting us.”
“Sir, yes sir! Thank you!” His posture held, waiting for his captain to dismiss him. Shining Armor took a few moments to realize that’s what he was waiting for.
“Dismissed.” The vice-captain finally dropped his salute and headed for the door. “Even though you don’t need to wait for my dismissal.” Shining muttered under his breathe.
Alone in his office, Shining Armor glanced over his maps one last time before pushing them aside. After a minute or two he came to the depressing conclusions there was little more he could do today. Looking over at the clock on the wall only made things worse, the time reading only a quarter past eleven in the morning. Several hours had gone by, yet most of the day was still ahead of him. He could relieve his wife and return to his other duties, but this case had to put on hold for now. A fact that felt a lot like defeat, and an unpleasant one at that. Surrendering to the depressing reality, he left his office and made his way back to the palace to find Cadence.
The remaining hours of the day passed at a sluggish pace. Shining had little desire to work through his other obligations, often spacing out at meetings. News of a disturbance had started to spread, meaning everypony else cut the captain some slack for being distracted. If people were in danger, other matters naturally take a lower priority. After what felt like forever, Luna’s hours finally came to be as the sun set. Returning to their shared bedroom, Shining Armor and Cadence got ready to sleep. Preparing for bed, Shining Armor continued to wrestle with the idea of staying awake in case more trouble arose.
Once again apparently reading his mind, Cadence inquired about his troubled expression.
“Oh, it’s nothing, part of me just thinks I should be out there on guard duty making sure this guy doesn’t come back. Instead of sleeping the night away like nothing is wrong.” He had no issue voicing his concerns to her; the mutual trust between the two allowed them to confide in each other without fear.
“I understand you want to help but you also need to sleep. And you need to trust that your guards will do their jobs. Don’t worry yourself sick chasing shadows.”
“I know, its just” He stopped himself. Part of him thought to protest further, to explain how unnerved this single act made him. Yet deep down he knew she was right, and Cadence wasn’t one to back down, no matter what his reasoning was. Conceding the point, he resumed. “Ya, I guess you’re right.”
“Of course I am.” She answered wearing a victorious smile. No doubt she held some worry as well, keeping it inside in order to help calm her partner.
Shining Armor couldn’t help but laugh. In an overall lousy day his wife’s wonderful attitude always found a way to cheer him up. Cadence knew how to bring out the best in any situation. More than just her magic, her whole personality seemed to make others happy. He could think of no pony more deserving to keep this Crystal Heart alive. And no pony he’d rather have by his side.
Preparing for bed, Shining Armor doubted he’d get the highest quality of sleep this evening. A lingering sense of apprehension followed him into bed. Lying awake, every noise peaked his attention as a possible sign of danger. And every time nothing came of it. The night simply persisted on playing tricks on him. Sleep did eventually come, bringing a brief release from the stress currently ailing him. Against his better judgment, he hoped that the night would pass without incident.
Maybe, just maybe, all his worry was for nothing.
To Be Continued
