An Elite Guardian

A week has passed since Princess Celestia had given me control of the "Freakshow Battalion", and they were being difficult. Either they were disobeying me, or just not at practice sessions. Looks like those that stayed did so only to see me fail. The only one who was actually eager here was, ironically, Twilight. I say "ironic" because I had humiliated her in front of the rest of the battalion.

Currently, it was an hour until the next supposed training session, and I was with Fleur, as it turns out she was head of the security forces left here in Canterlot, as she had wished to talk to me about something, I did not know what, and both of us were overlooking the training grounds. "What did you wish to speak to me about," I asked her, arms behind my back.

"A possible security breach," she replied. "Last night, Lieutenant Long Shot, the best bow man in the security forces, shot and killed a unicorn Noble by the name of Gold Coin. When the body was searched, we found a piece of paper with the message 'Forces arriving in two days time. If you wish to live, I suggest you leave now.' An hour after, the rune stones that Princess Celestia uses to keep the shield for Canterlot up while she is away were found to have been shattered."

"And where was this Noble, and I use that term loosely, found?"

"Near an off-limits exit of the shield," Fleur answered. "We think he may have been trying to escape."

"And why tell me about it," I asked.

"Because only a few guards had access to that room to give it to anypony. One just so happens to be in your battalion, the only one that can control herself," Fleur said, handing me a manila file, which I took, and opened. "And before you asked, I did check all under my command."

"You believe Twilight Sparkle would want Sombra's army here in Canterlot," I said, surprised at the picture I saw.

"I've never met her, so I couldn't honestly say," she said. "All I know is that any in your battalion would do anything to kill Sombra, even take Canterlot down to get close to him."

"Can you tell when they were sabotaged," I asked.

"Exactly, no," the unicorn replied as we passed by the swordsman area of the training ground, where Twilight was, practicing her swordsman, or swordsmare, I do not know, ship with a Rapier and how it was meant to be used. "Just that it was between twenty three hundred and oh one hundred that night."

"Then it wasn't Twilight Sparkle," I said. "I was giving her personal combat lessons from twenty two hundred to oh one hundred, with no breaks. If she had done it, then it had to have been done with range magic, and she was being pushed too hard."

"You think somepony else did it," Fleur asked, and I think I heard a slightly offended tone.

"Indeed I do," I said. "You checked the guards. Not other Nobles."

"But none of them would help defeat the princess."

"You are a fool if you think that when a guard killed a noble for attempting to escape Canterlot and evidence points to said noble intending to bring about Canterlot's fall," I say. "These Nobles would do anything to keep their standing in a new regime, you and your husband being the exception. None are above suspicion."

"And how do you propose we find them before Sombra's forces arrive, which will happen the same day the shield falls?"

"We have two days, correct?"

"At best."

"Then it is simple," I say. "We conduct a more," I paused, looking for the best term. "thorough investigation. Plus, it will help us get to know one another, a must seeing as how I will remain here until Her Highness says otherwise, and you being the security commander."

"Even if that would work, how do you know we'll find the traitor?"

"I will explain once we are in the castle," I said. "I will meet you just out side the throne room. I must inform my battalion that I will not be training with them for the next two days."

Fleur rolled her eyes, but said, "Fine," and went inside as I went to where Twilight was.

"Twilight Sparkle, I wish to speak with you," I said as I neared the lavender unicorn.

"About what," she asked, holding her Rapier in her magic and across her back.

"That I will be unable to make the battalion training tonight or tomorrow, as something has come up. I want you to take my place for the two," I said. "Are you willing?"

"If you want," she said. "Oh, If you want, Sir."

"Sparkle, when it is just members of the battalion, drop rank. I said the six days ago, and I know you heard it," I said. "And also, my thanks."

"Can I ask what came up?"

"You just did," I said with a slight smirk, much as I could give with four lips. "But you won't get an answer." With that, I left her to her practice, and went inside to meet with Fleur. I walked past a few groups of guards, each wearing the pure white and yellow, an eyesore combination of colors, of the security forces, some giving me blank looks, others giving looks of disgust.

Regardless of that, I found Fleur just outside the throne room talking with who I assume to be her second in command, a black colored  unicorn mare with light blue mane and tail. My heavy footsteps alerted them to my presence, and they turned to face me. "There he is," Fleur said. "Captain Tafam, this is my second in command, Midnight Stream," she said, gesturing to the other mare. "If you'll allow, she's to help us on this."

"Of course," I said. "An honor, Midnight."

"Same," Midnight said. "I heard about what you did near the Apple farm. Takes guts to take on an alpha."

"I did not take it on," I said. "I ran, and killed it only when I had to, after it tried to digest me."

"So, where do you think we should start," Fleur asked, apparently wanting to get to the investigation.

"The rune stones," I said. "You can scan to find magical traces, can't you?"

"I can," Midnight said. "Let me guess: use that to find the aura of the saboteur, and go from there?"

"Exactly," I said. "Now, where are the runes usually kept?"

"Follow me," Midnight said. She turned around, and the two of us followed her to a wall at the end of the hall, where she used her magic, colored a teal blue, to open a hidden passageway. "Through here," she said before going into the passage, Fleur and I following her. The passage was surprisingly roomy, allowing for three of my kind to walk side by side, and have room for two humans as well, as well as well lit. We walked for what felt like ten minutes to me before we came to a large set of double doors, which Midnight opened, revealing a room with five, large tablets, each near ten feet high and inscribed with ancient glyphs, in a circle in the center of the room, the one closest the door having been cleaved in half.

"How did none of the guards hear the slab fall," I asked as we walked into the room.

"A silencing spell," Midnight said, quick enough as if she had either said it repeatedly, or rehearsed it. "If it was the right scale, it wouldn't be heard by those outside."

"Interesting," I said, walking over to the part that had fallen. "What amount of skill would one need for in order to be able to silence this, Fleur?"

"Somepony whose practiced magic all their life for more than just trivial matters."

"Which by itself would rule out most if not all of the standard Nobles," I muttered. "Did the rune stones have any magical protection?"

"Some," Midnight said. "Not much, though."

"So that does not help us," I said. "But just from the silencing spell, we know it is not a standard Noble, who only uses spells for levitation, which narrows it down to those like you, Fleur, and unicorn guards."

"Most Nobles do hide their actual skill," Fleur said. "Though most do only have the ability to levitate, as silencing spells are kept for only those with access to the royal archives, and that is a short list."

"Then what are we waiting for," I said. "Midnight, would you care to take a sample of the magic residue?"

"That's not the actual term," she said, "but yeah, on it." She lit her horn, and a slight mist, one with no color, became visible before vanishing. "Okay, I have the wave length," she said. "Let's go."

"Then lead the way," I said.

"Right," she said, and went to leave the room, Fluer behind her, but before the second mare could leave, I grabbed her, and stopped her.

"What do you think you're doing," she nearly yelled.

"Getting a second opinion," I said. "Can you get the wave length as well?"

"Yes, but why do you care? Midnight has it already."

"Because with my past experiences," I said, "it is best to have more than one person to have access to the same thing, as a safety precaution."

"You don't trust my second in command?"

"Right now, the only ones I trust to not have sabotaged the defenses are those with princess Celestia, myself, and Twilight Sparkle. I have a saying, Captain. 'Do not trust any but yourself fully. If you do, you are liable to being stabbed in the back'. And right now, the fact the traitor may very well be a guard has me very wary of any I did not know the location of when it happened. Now, if you wish to ensure we capture the traitor, obtain the wave length."

"If it will get you to calm down, fine," she said before performing the same spell. "Now, can we leave?"

"Yes," I said, releasing her and following her out of the passage, Midnight having a slight lead.

"What took you both so long," she asked upon me and Fleur exiting the passageway ten minutes later.

"I needed to check on something I saw," I said. "I said Fleur could go on ahead, but she decided to stay and help me. Now, should we head to where the list of those who can get into the archives are?"

"Come on, then," she said.

We followed her out of the castle proper, and to the entrance building for the archives, where a single security pony, an earth pony stallion with a gray coat and black mane and tail, was in a security booth, three others behind a steel gate. "Ma'am," he said to Fleur.

"Hello, Steel," she said. "We need access to the list of ponies allowed access into the spell portion of the archives."

"May I ask why? Standard protocol."

"Investigating what happened last night," Fleur said.

"Right," the guard said. "I'll be right back." With that, he turned and went to a nearby desk to pick up a thin book, almost a pamphlet, really, and then walked back. "Here, Ma'am," he said. "Anything else?"

"Not now," Fleur said. "Come on, Ruso, Midnight. We need to pay those on this list a visit."