Sunrise at Moon Watch

Wind rustled through the pines, dancing through the branches as it swept down out of the mountain passes. The wind was the loudest thing in the valley as an earth pony walked, eyes scanning the brush around him. It was hard to think of a sun yellow pony moving stealthily, yet this one managed. It was the result of not inconsiderable practice, and he kept it up as if his life depended on it. His quarry slipped through the woods nearly so quietly, risking the slight peak of sound for speed, hoping it would be lost in the wind. It was, but the yellow pony caught sight of movement in the wrong direction and continued his stalk. He did not need speed to catch his quarry. Steady movement and a properly chosen moment to strike would lend him all the advantage he needed. If he should have more, all the better, but he would create what he required.

The long train snaked it's way south from the Crystal Empire. No mere single carriage affair, the ten car train carried the royalty of the great northern empire and was polished to a shine fit for such nobility. Cadance was pretty sure they'd gone overboard. Shining was completely certain. His proclamation that the goggles did nothing hadn't strictly won him any friends amidst those who'd done the polishing, but the chuckles from the guards had shown him his audience wasn't entirely unappreciative.

Cadance had merely given a wifely sigh of long suffering impatience, to the appreciation of the polishers, and to further chuckles from several guards whom she was aware were married themselves. A few of the younger, and unattached guards hadn't gotten the joke, to the further amusement of those that had.

The fact that several ponies had very nearly been struck blind by a particularly spectacular sunrise, had lead to an impromptu repaint and strict orders not to giggle at the repaint. The coating of the crystal locomotive and carriages, had been done with the only thing immediately to hoof, which unfortunately turned out to be several dozen gallons of pink hoof polish. No one seemed interested in asking why they had that.

The train stopped in Trottingham. The entire guard contingent vanished into the city and came back with a small hardware store. It took longer to remove the polish than apply the paint.

Twilight was waiting for them at the train station, with the other elements when they arrived. She and Cadance did their dance and laughed.

“It's been too long Twilight.” Cadance grinned. “Well, except for that Tirek thing.”

“Hey Twily.” Shining ruffled her mane.

“Hey BBBFF.” she grinned. “It has been too long. So is there some protocol for this kind of thing?” Twilight asked. “I looked it up. I did research and I couldn't find anything. You're not really foreign dignitaries, you don't fall under the Pax Crystalis anymore...” she trailed off.

“No protocol's.” Cadance chuckled. “We checked.”

“Good. Maybe I should write some?” Groans met the suggestion and Twilight laughed. “I'm kidding. Mostly.” Shining reached out and ruffled her mane.

“Come on Twiley, let's see this castle of yours.” he laughed. She pushed him off, and led the way, laughing.

Twilight showed them into the main library. As opposed to her private library, her research library, her study library, and what she referred to as the little fillies library. Already the books were piling high in the room.

“The good part is that the majority of the books were in the cellar, and since smoke rises, most of them were undamaged. Sadly, the water from the fire crew damaged a few of them, but they were just trashy romance novels so no loss.” Cadance opened her mouth to have a few words in defense of those novels, but Twilight cut her off. “Fortunately, Rarity had a complete collection, so we're borrowing hers until we get a new set printed off.”

“Twilight, I'm surprised that you'd count even fictional books as trash.” Cadance admitted.

“What? No, it's... here.” Twilight's horn flickered to life and a book levitated off the shelf, over for Cadance to read.

“The Garbage Mare and her stallion.” Cadance laughed. “Got me there.” Twilight returned the book to it's resting place.

“She did indeed.” Robert chuckled from the door way. “Your majesty.” he bowed with one leg. “Princess.” Cadance rolled her eyes, and Twilight glared.

“Ah, Sir Fluffikins.” Shining replied with a bow of his own. Robert laughed.

“Very good. And only eight months. A new record for you.” Shining turned red for a moment before Cadance touched his shoulder. “Twilight? Spike wanted me to remind you that it's almost three?”

“Three? Oh, right the zoning commission.” she sighed. “Who's turn is it today?”

“The mayor.” Robert replied. “Looks like her Cravat is in a bunch.”

“We did... okay. I'll be right there.” Twilight said. Robert nodded and disappeared.

“So, I see he found his way here.” Shining said.

“He did.” Twilight nodded. “He came to study with Zecora. She said it won't be much longer, and she's away arranging what she needs for his final exam.”

“Oh?” Cadance said, eyebrow raised.

“She gave me a list, but it was all in Zebra. I guess some of it's kind of far away.”

“What's he doing here?” Shining asked.

“He's serving as my Seneschal until I find a permanent pony for the job.” Twilight shrugged. “I better go see the zoning commission.”

“I didn't build the castle. It was grown organically by magic. I'm claiming the organic housing exception.” Twilight dropped the relevant book on the table.

“Doesn't apply. The castle is not a living structure.” the mayor plonked an equally large tome on the table. “As such I'll have to fine you for not acquiring the necessary permits.”

“Is that all?” Twilight skittered a manila folder across the table. “I'm glad Princess Luna gave me these when I was coronated.”

“These are undated.” Mayor mare commented.

“Not exactly.” Twilight replied. “They're open dated. Good for one castle, anytime, anyplace.”

The mayor read through the documents. “Okay. They look all in order then.” she stamped them approved.

“Good. Any more hoops I'm missing?” Twilight asked.

“Well, there's a complaint from the local flower growers association.” the mayor held up a folder.

“Now what's Roseluck complaining about?” Twilight asked, burying her head in her hooves.

“It seems you're shading her green house.” the mayor replied, reading through the folder.

“Great. How exactly am I going to fix that? Move the castle?”

“That does seem to be the gist of her request.” the mayor admitted. “It is a question of lively hood.”

“Oh good.” Twilight smiled. Minutes later, she joined the mayor at the top of the castle, with surveying equipment. “Now, where exactly is her greenhouse?” she asked, quill already sketching the area around the castle. The mayor pointed it out. The quill sketched it in. Then Twilight began making calculations.

“Princess, I don't know if this is such a good idea...” the mayor spoke just a moment too late. Magenta light flickered from a purple horn, and light refracted through the castle. The shade in which the green house had sat was replaced with a vaguely purple tinted sunlight.

“See? You've just got to learn to trust me.” Twilight said. Which was exactly the moment when the giant rose burst through the top of the greenhouse, carrying a screaming Roseluck. Twilight threw herself into the air, and rose after the unfortunate mare. Down below, smaller roses shattered through the sides of the green house as they grew legs and began to attack bystanders. Rainbow Dash was the first pony to respond, diving in head first, and coming away coated in thorns for her trouble.

“Don't get close. Ow!” she screamed as other ponies approached. Applejack took the advice to heart, and began launching chunks of stone with powerful kicks. The first flower monster went down from a lucky blow just below the petals of it's head. “Darned hippies.” the earth pony grumbled.

“This is just not ri-ight!” Rarity griped, dodging a spray of thorns. “I should be working, not gardening.” her horn glowed and slashed a limb off one of the rose monsters. It grew back almost instantly.

“Needs more fire.” Pinkie announced. The party cannon went off, blowing a rose to shreds. Which began regenerating into more monsters. “Yes, much more fire.” she pushed the party cannon away, and pulled out a long tube, dripping flame from one end. The horde of monsters went down in a burst of brilliant flame.

“What'n tarnation is that?” Pinkie turned the tube so she could read it. “Candle lighter 9000. 'Course it is.” The aforementioned tube turned another rose into dust on the wind and Pinkie just grinned.

“Don't worry, I can fix it!” Twilight called triumphantly, setting a thoroughly unamused, and completely horrified Roseluck on the castle balcony with the Mayor. Her horn flared to life again, and once more light burst through the castle. And faded away, leaving the giant rose mostly in the shade.

“How's about somethin' a little more fast actin'?” Applejack asked.

“Oh, right.” a book flew out of one of the windows and landed in front of her. “Ah, here we go. Greenhorn's Pesky Perennial Pruner.” Twilight's horn glowed. It really says something, when ponies are less inclined to complain about dodging foot thick, five foot wide slices of giant rose, than they are about fighting mutant rose monsters. What it says is up to the imagination.

“Well.” the mayor prodded one of the pieces of greenhouse with a hoof. “I believe we can write this one off as a magical accident.” Roseluck blinked, and opened her mouth for an indignant reply. “Which of course means crown compensation.” teeth clicked as the other mare shut her mouth. “And perhaps an exchange of land? Something on the southern end of town where you get the mid-afternoon shade you require without a complete blockage of the sun?”

“Yes, that sounds just the thing after such a terrible accident.” Roseluck agreed.

“Delighted to hear it.” the Mayor smiled. “I'll send some pony along with the paperwork as soon as I get back to my office.”

“Thank you Mayor.” Roseluck said. She paused a moment. “And thank you Princess for your help.”

“Heh, the least I could do.” Twilight said, wincing slightly. Roseluck pretended not to notice and walked off. She was wobbling slightly, but Golden Harvest gave her a shoulder to lean on.

“That could have gone better.” Rainbow nodded, landing beside the other two.

“Could have gone worse.” the mayor acknowledged. “At least that's the last of the complaints.”