Twilight Sparkle told her mentor/superior how her and her Squad as well as the rest of the Rebel forces learned the Feds plan to invade Equestria to seek magic as well as the steps the rebels took to either stop them or slow them, and none of what Twilight did to buy time for her return to warn Equestria and hopefully get them ready to face soldier and technology like nothing they had ever seen.

When she was finally done Celestia sat quietly for some time before finally speaking. “It is good you brought this to my attention Twilight. I will need to call my council into meeting to discuss what you have told me, will you remain in Canterlot for the day in case I need to call on you?”

Twilight nodded. “Yes ma’am I was planning on having dinner with Captain Armor and meeting with my parents if I had time.”

Celestia nodded. “Yes that would probably be for the best. If I need you to speak before my council I will send for you. “She said and hugged her student, even if she seemed like a completely different pony Celestia could still see that deep down she was still the same mare that Celestia had partly raised, she showed that by risking her life to warn Equestria of the invasion. “It is good to have you home my most faithful student.”

Twilight carefully returned the hug, letting out a sigh and allowing herself to relax for just a moment before she pulled away. “If there is nothing else ma’am?”

Celestia shook her head. “There isn’t you may go Twilight.

Twilight nodded and turned and left the room after giving another salute.

<<>>

Twilight made her way down the hall she was looking for her brother. While talking to Celestia she had had time to think as delivering a report was second nature to her that she could let her mind wonder and it lead her to her meeting with her brother. She had to admit she could have handled that better. She had treated him like a soldier and not a Royal Guard which was completely different. She shouldn’t have held him to the same standards as those that had been under her.

She needed to apologize, though he was not going to apologize for how she treated him when he tried to give her an order because he had no right to do so.

“You there halt.” A deep voice said behind her and Twilight stopped and turned to see three Royal Guard approaching her, she quickly assessed the situation. There were three of them, an Earth Pony leading them and flanked by a Unicorn on the right and a Pegasus on his left. All three wore the standard Royal Guard gold armor which would provide to protection and while they were clearly angry they did not move in a manner to suggest an attack. Twilight relaxed.

“Can I help you three?” She asked raising an eyebrow behind her visor.

“You had to right to speak to the Captain of the Guard in the manner you did even if you are his sister it does not give you the right.” The Earth Pony said once they stopped in front of Twilight.

Twilight nodded, ok so they were mad at how she treated their commanding officer, Twilight could respect that, it showed her brother was a good commander if he could inspire this level of loyalty. “And you three want to have a word with me about that?” She asked in controlled tones.

The earth pony shook his head. “No, it’s clear you need to be taught to respect the Royal Guard and since you want to pretend you are a member then we will treat you as such.” The Earth Pony said and smirked. “You and me are going to duel in unarmed combat.” He said and his smirk deepened.

Seems he thinks that means something and that I’ll think he’s hot shit and be cowed down. Twilight thought as a smirk appeared on her face as well. “Alright, I could use a good work out. So just tell me where and when?”

The earth pony blinked. “Now and in the training room.”

Twilight gestured with a hoof. “Lead the way.” The smirk grew into a smile.

<<>>

Shinning Armor was walking down the castle. After his meeting with his sister and how she had treated him he needed time to think. She was his sister, there was no way he could mistake anyone else for little Twilly but…she had been a completely different mare then what he was used to. She was cold when for the most part and yet laughed at him when he tried to order her around and seemed to take enjoyment from his confusion. And the fact he noticed her eyes never stopped scanning her surroundings.

What had happened to his little sister to turn here into that, from his awkward bookworm of a sister to this mare that insisted on being called “Commander” and who were the People’s Free Democratic Republic and had they done to his little sister to make her into this. Whatever it was he wanted to have a word with them.

Shinning was drawn out of his thought by two Royal Guard trotting by clearly in a hurry. “You two what is going on?” He asked and the two Guards stopped and saluted. “Captain, Winter Gale has challenged that mare who insulted you to hoof to hoof combat and she has accepted.” One of them told him.

“What?” Shinning said his eyes widening. Winter Gale was the best hoof to hoof fighter in all of the Canterlot Royal Guard. “Show me.” The two nodded and turned and started trotting again with Shinning right behind them.

They made their way to the Royal Guard training room and when the tree entered Shinning saw a crowd of off duty guards gather around the sparing area and made his way over to it. When the guard saw him they made way for him and he soon found himself at the front of the crowd alongside Twilly’s friends and to his surprise Cadence.

“Cadence what are you doing here?” He asked her and she looked at him and he could tell she was worried.

“I heard Twilight was home and I wanted to see her, when I found her she was following three of the Royal Guard here with a smile on her face and when I asked what was going on she told me Winter Gale had challenged her to a duel.” Cadence told him. “I tried to tell her that was a bad idea as he was the best unarmed fighter in the castle and she just smiled more and said ‘good then this might actually be worth my time. Shinning what is going on with her?”

“I don’t know Cadence.” Shining said as he pulled her close and then looked out at the sparing area, if Cadence couldn’t stop her then what chance would he have as her brother.

Shining looked over at his sister’s friends and from the face they had had as much luck as Cadence had in stopping Twilly. Looking out over the sparing area Shinning spotted his sister standing on one side of the ring by herself and across from her stood Winter Gale with two other guards Shinning knew to be the guard’s close friends.

“So I’m going to do this fight at 10% strength and I won’t use any magic, just my normal body so that this is an even match ok?” Twilly said with a smirk directed at Gale who sneered back.

“Just keep talking; I’ll fix that attitude of yours.” Gale said back and Shining frowned.

Twilly shrugged in her armor. “If you say so.” She said and Shinning saw her magic wrapped around her helmet and pull it off and the crowd who at this point had been somewhat loud as crowds of ponies usually were quieted down some. Shinning heard Cadence gasp beside him as he took in his sisters scared face, he recognized as the wound a bladed weapon left over her one eye but the much smaller ones that covered the side of her face was a mystery to him.

He saw her magic wrapped around her armor and after a few moments she pulled it off and the crowd went deathly quiet. Shinning couldn’t take his eyes off the scars that covered his sister’s body. What had happened to his little sister? She had suffered more injuries then Shinning had ever seen in his life and the fact they were all improperly healed so as to leave a scars…

Shinning was distracted by Winter Gale starting to remove his armor and Twilly speaking up. “I’d recommend you leave that on.” She said as Gale glared. She taped her hooves together making a distinct metallic sound. “Steel hooves, it’s only fair you wear full armor.”

Gale grumbled but left his armor on as he stepped into the ring as did Twilly. Gale’s Pegasus friend moved to the middle of the ring. “Alright, first pony to tap out or be unable to continue will lose. If any of you step out of the ring you will lose. This is a Hoof to Hoof battle so...” Gale’s unicorn friends moved and put an inhibitor ring on Twilly’s horn before he stepped back to Gale’s side.

“Alright, ready?” The Pegasus flew up above the ring. “Begin!”

Gale launched himself at Twilly with impressive speed and Shinning shut his eyes not wanting to see his sister get hit. There was a gasp from the crowd. Then another and Shining slowly opened his eyes to see. Twilly easily dodging Gale’s strikes with ease, if fact, she looked bored. Gale growled in frustration as he threw another punch; Twilly just side stepped with the same bored expression.

“Jeez you’re slow.” Shinning heard her say as Gale threw another punch and Twilly ducked. “Stop trying to hit me and hit me already, I thought you were going to teach me respect?” Shinning blinked as his little sister was taunting Gale while effortlessly dodging his attacks.

“If you wanted to dance you just had to ask, didn’t have to challenge me to a duel.” Shinning could see Gale was getting angry as Twilly needled him. Gale tried to sweep her legs out from under him and she just jumped over his leg and that was when Shinning realize Twilly had only taken a single step to the side since the fight had started.

“I’m growing bored of this dance…” She said and Gale let out a roar as he turned and delivered and a buck aimed for her face…one Twilly lifted her fore hooves and caught with ease before she closed her eyes tilted her head to each side causing a rather loud popping each time before opening her eyes and smiling wide. “My turn.” She said and faster than Shinning thought possible her hooves shot up still holding Gales rear legs and sent him tumbling through the air. He crashed hard to the ring.

He quickly rolled over onto his hooves and froze when he saw Twilly as had the rest of the onlookers. Twilly was standing on her hind legs as if it was the most natural thing in the world and her fore hooves had produced five fingers each. “What? You didn’t think I was just a quadruped did you?” Twilly said then laugh before she launched forward with far more speed then Gale had shown and grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off the ground. “A proper soldier is ready for anything and does freeze up when the battle suddenly shifts. “Twilight said before delivering a hard hit to Gale’s ribs.

Gale grunted in pain kicked out with his read hooved, catching Twilly in the chest and she dropped him to the ring. “Oh bravo that was a nice move. “She said clapping her hooves together while Gale tried to catch his breath. Suddenly he launched forward and tried to strike her again and Twilly just grabbed his out stretched leg and twisted it. She then jumped away and Gale dropped to the ring his leg hanging uselessly at his side and Shinning could tell it was dislocated.

Before Gale could do anything Twilly was suddenly behind him with a smile on her face and reached down, wrapping her fore legs around his neck she pulled back. Dropping backwards onto her back she pulled Gale on top of her and wrapped her rear legs around his stomach and then she pulled.

Gale gasped for air as his rear legs started to kick the air and if shinning wasn’t mistaken Twilly was calmly humming some tune while smiling. Gale started to hit Twilly in the ribs as hard as he could from the angle with his one good leg but Twilly didn’t stop humming as she just pulled more and tightened her fore hooves.

Slowly Gales rear hooved started to kick less till they stopped moving a tall. Twilly held the stalling for a few more second before she pushed him off of herself and stood back up on her hind legs and brushed herself off. “Well that wasn’t as much of a work out as I had hoped it would be.” She said sounding disappointed.

Blazing flew down and got right in her face. “What in Tartarus!” He yelled. “You are under arrest for murder!” He yelled as Clear Mind ran onto the ring horn glowing.

“What the fuck are you talking about? He’s not dead!” Twilly said angrily waving her hooves in the air. “All I fucking did was break two of his ribs, dislocate an arm and chock him out. If I wanted him dead he’d be well and truly dead but I don’t think the Princesses would like me killing her guards.” Twilight said glaring at the two guards confronting her. “Though believe me, you try to arrest me and I’ll show you what the difference between a non-lethal and a lethal take down is.”

“He’s alive.” Another guard who actually went and checked on Gale said.

“See, I only caused injuries I knew the medics could deal with.” Twilly said dismissively waving her hoof. “Now if you two aren’t going to try and fight me I have more important things to do rather than play games with you lot.” She turned and walked back to where her armor lay and slipped back into it without her magic as she still wore the inhibitor ring. She picked up her helmet and carrying it under one of her fore legs over the Shinning. “Hey shinning, mind removing this for me?” She flicked the inhibitor ring with her metal fingers. “I’d ask those two dumbasses but I don’t think they like me very much for putting their friend in his place.” Twilly said with a chuckle.

Shinning stared at her before. “Uh…yes…Sure Twilly.” He said, what had happened? She wasn’t cold to him now. Re removed the inhibitor ring and Twilly nodded in thanks before putting the helmet on.

“You wouldn’t have actually….killed them would you have darling?” Rarity asked as Twilly’s friends walked up to where they stood and Shinning saw Cadence step up beside him out of the corner of his eye.

“If they came at me? Absolutely.” Twilly replied mater of factly, Shinning was still unnerved by the fact she was still standing on her back legs. She pointed her front hooves to the ceiling. “I’d have used these. “She said and the crowd of guards jumped back as twin 12” blades shot out of her hooves. “Though the floor would have gotten rather messy.”

Author's Note

I had free time today and am still in a writing mood so here have an Interlude.