Chapter 1 - Asserting Authority

Luna, like most nights, was the sole occupant of the throne room. She had risen the moon fifteen minutes ago and the giant braziers burning with ethereal blue flames in the four corners of the room, did almost nothing to illuminate the darkness of the vast throne room or chase away the chill hanging in the air. She had taken advantage of her solitude, and was flopped over her throne with her back legs splayed in a way that left nothing to a pony’s imagination. Without the need to worry about protecting her reputation as a princess of Equestria she ate her breakfast, consisting of a large cup of coffee, a plate piled high with cream and strawberry covered waffles, as messily as possible.

Beside her on Celestia’s unoccupied throne, which she often used as her own personal desk, were a dozen personnel files belonging to thestrals she was considering to promote to Captain once Cobalt Moon retired from his service in the Lunar Guard in several months time. But she had a small window of free time, during which she didn’t have to worry about attending any of the royal items of business on her night’s schedule, so the files stayed unattended on the throne.

Luna purred as she licked the left over cream and syrup from her empty plate and teleported the mostly spotless dish back to the kitchens once she was done ‘cleaning’ it. With her free time over, she sighed with resignation and levitated a manila file from the pile on Celestia’s throne and idly flicked through its contents as she sipped from her cup of coffee. She had narrowed her choice of the next Captain of the Lunar Guard down to two thestral mares whom she couldn’t decide between.

The file Luna had selected, belonged to Night Striker. She was twenty nine years old and had the highest scores in her academia schoolwork. She had acquired an highly enviable ninety six percent score for her combat abilities, and she was in her sixth year of being a Lunar Guard recruit which was longer then almost any other recruit in the Lunar Guard service. But it was Night Striker’s mana-born abilities of shadowmancing, a magical discipline which gave its practitioners the ability to manipulate shadows and use them as weapons, which made Luna take a keen interest in the mare’s career in the Lunar Guards. She wasn’t like Celestia, she didn’t view or treat those who practiced the magical disciplines of arcane, ethereal and shadowmancy, with extreme suspicion and mistrust.

The next file she searched was labeled ‘Sable’. She was another thestral mare who stuck out from the rest of her fellow comrades. She was only twenty two years old, and had joined the Lunar Guard at the young age of eighteen. During her four years of being a recruit in the Lunar Guard she had obtained the highest combat ability score of ninety eight percent, something not even Cobalt Moon had accomplished in such a short time period. Her academia scores were at an abysmal thirty five percent was only her combative abilities and impressive knowledge of battle strategy and war tactics keeping her from flunking out of the Lunar Guard. Luna paused when she came to Sable’s disciplinary and criminal record. Sable had been arrested many times since she had come to Equestria from Rebirth for starting dozens of tavern and street fights with the Solar Guard which had resulted in them spending days in the infirmary.

“Luna! Are you in here?!” Celestia’s golden aura of magic enveloped the doors to the throne room and they slammed open announcing the arrival of her sister. “Please tell me you’ve taken leave of your senses, sister!” Celestia approached the throne with a fiery look in her eyes and her stomping hoofsteps echoed throughout the vast, empty room. “Because I cannot, for the life of me, understand some of the decisions you make!”

Luna squeaked with surprise at Celestia’s unexpected appearance and flicked her tail between her splayed legs to retain some of her modesty. Once she was composed, she raised an inquiring eyebrow at Celestia. “Good evening, sister. I cannot help but notice you appear to be somewhat troubled.” She took several deep mouthfuls of her coffee and subtly moved a plate covered in crumbs and frosting further under her throne’s pillow. “If you are searching for thine missing cake of the evening. I assure you, it is not here.”

“Don’t be cute with me, Luna.” Celestia ascended the dozen stairs that led up to the thrones, looking quite disgruntled. “You know very well my troubles do not come from the lack of my evening cake. Something you and I will once again talk about. At great length.” Scowling with displeasure, she levitated Luna’s paperwork and files off of her seat. She sat, glaring at her smaller sister as she pulled dozens of files from her courier bags, slamming them in front of Luna. “I’ve just found out you are authorizing the use of-”

“Commander Hurricane’s ‘Fire Regime’ training program to train my own Lunar Guards. Yes, what of it?” Luna kept her face in her practiced poker face of calm, resisting the urge to scowl and glare at the sight of her Lunar Guard military files in Celestia’s possession.

“There was a reason I disbanded that training program! We are in a time of peace!” Celestia ruffled her wings and stamped a hoof on the armrest of her throne. “What will our allies think if they found out you are using such violent and lethal tactics to train your Lunar Guards?”
“It does not matter what our allies will think. This is completely, and utterly my choice. And I do not appreciate you sticking your muzzle in my business that does not concern you!”

“Doesn’t concern me?” Celestia looked at Luna with complete disbelief. “Your decisions affect the continuing wellbeing and safety of Equestria! So it does concern me! And it is my business!” Celestia paused her lecture for a moment, taking a deep breath and letting it out. “I simply can not authorize this to happen. You are to recall your orders for the changes in your military training.” Celestia slammed several more files in front of Luna. “I’ve also been keeping an eye on your candidates for promoting to Captain once Cobalt Moon retires. You are to change these candidates and select somepony more respectable and suited to this task.”

Luna sipped her coffee, her poker face slipping as the urge to scream at Celestia ‘mind your own goddess damned business’ was getting harder to resist. “I believe Sable and Night Striker are excellent choices for the position of Captain in my Lunar Guards.”

“Have you even bothered to read through their files? Sable is violent, unstable, and quite frankly a sociopath that needs to be locked up. Half the complaints I get from my Solar Guard are about Sable! Not to mention the complaints I get from Night Striker! She is a wild party mare with no respect for authority, she has no sense for responsibi-MMPH?!” Celestia stared in shock at the hoof Luna had pressed to her mouth stopping her from saying anything else, she didn’t expect such an dominating, rude action from her little sister. Luna swallowed the rest of her coffee in a few quick gulps and looked up into her sister’s eyes, her own shining with ill concealed displeasure and anger.

“Celestia, you have gone too soft in my thousand years of banishment. Thine Solar Guard is nothing more than an undisciplined, poorly trained joke. While Shining Armor makes a fine Captain, thine approved military training program is limiting their potential strength. So is it no wonder Equestria has been saved from the brink of disaster so many times by his sister only backed up by five untrained mares?!” Luna’s magic snatched her military files from Celestia’s possession and placed them in the courier bags. “One day, Twilight Sparkle and her friends will fail while wielding the Elements of Harmony, or worse be killed. On that day, Equestria will need a strong, powerful and capable army. Thine pacifist ideals have made thine Solar Guard fall very far from that line. I will not make that mistake with my own guard! I do not tell you how to rule the kingdom during the day, sister. How I decide to rule our kingdom during the night is my own choice and I will appreciate you to stop trying to make decisions for me! I am not a little filly anymore!”

Luna pulled her hoof away and glared at a spot on the floor away from Celestia’s gaze as she waited for her sister’s rebuttal. She just wished Celestia would stop being so blind to the fact that peace was nothing more then a fleeting moment and once it was over, Equestria was going to be in great danger if they continued following her ideals and traditions.

After a few moments of awkward, strained silence, Celestia was the one that spoke up first. “I’m sorry, Luna,” she murmured quietly. Luna twitched her ear in her sister’s direction, the only sign she gave that she had heard her sister’s words. Celestia sighed, and with a quiet ruffle of feathers she draped a warm wing over Luna’s back and leaned over the space between them to gently nuzzle and kiss her cheek with genuine affection. “While it’s true that you have been back long enough for me to start trusting you to make your own decisions regarding the affairs of your Night Court, I just worry so much. I may not agree with some of your decisions.” She nodded at Luna’s military files. “But I shall respect them. Can you please forgive me? We still have so much time to catch up on, I don’t wish it to be wasted because we’re mad with each other.”

Luna snuggled into the silky, soft warmth of her sister’s feathery winghug, purring as she nuzzled into the crook of Celestia’s neck. “I forgive you, my dear sister. And just as I value thine counsel and trust in it, is it too much to ask you to do the same for me?”
Celestia tightened her wing’s grip around Luna’s back, giving her a reassuring squeeze. “Of course it’s not.”

“Captain Cobalt Moon shall be arriving soon for a meeting with me.” Luna sat a little straighter in her throne, giving her wings a little ruffle to make her feathers more presentable, ran a hoof through her flowing mane and used her magic to smooth down her fur to make her body slick and shiny. Actions that were not lost on Celestia. “If you agree not to interfere with my court proceedings in any way, I shall not mind you staying to observe.”

“As you wish.” With a curt nod, Celestia withdrew her wing from Luna’s body just as Cobalt Moon walked through the open doors of the throne room. Cobalt strode with a predatory, graceful stride that was accompanied with nothing but silence. He was stockily built and his muscles coiled like thick steel cables beneath his skin with every movement he made. His dark, gray coat was flecked with spots of peppery white as was his mane and tail. His chest was covered in deep, jagged scars and his leathery wings had scars in them from the dozens of times in his life they had been. His amber, catlike eyes flickered restlessly in ever direction around the room as though he was searching the shadows for something, or somepony.

“Good evening, Luna.” Cobalt Moon came to a stop several feet from the steps leading up the throne and gave Luna a slight, respectful bow of his head. Celestia perked an eyebrow at the causal familiarity he addressed a princess of Equestria with, and cleared her throat pointedly. But she might as well have been as insignificant as a bug on the floor for all the acknowledgment she got from the Captain of the Lunar Guards.

“Captain Moon!” Luna practically squealed as she pounced down the stairs, landing in front of the stallion and the two of them embraced in an heated and affectionate kiss. A deep, grumbling and contented purr came from Cobalt as he unfurled his long, leathery scarred wings and trailed them down Luna’s sides making her squirm. Several moments passed until Luna pulled from back from the kiss and nuzzled tenderly at her Captain’s cheek. “How fare thine wife and foals?”

Celestia’s eyes widened and her heart skipped several beats as panicked alarm bells went off in her mind at what she had just finished witnessing. She couldn’t for the life of her understand what was Luna thinking. Surely her sister knew the political repercussions would be severe if any of the nobles got word that she was sleeping with the Captain of her Lunar Guard, a married stallion with three foals and a fourth on the way.

“My family’s well enough, thank you, Luna” Cobalt muttered, in a quiet gruff voice. “My wife is starting to complain about how little we see of you now that you’ve recommenced in your royal duties watching over the night. The little ones also miss playing with their favourite princess.”

Luna folded her ears down against her head. “I too have missed spending time with thine family. Have thine wife make arrangements for my visit this weekend.” She smiled and nipped at the tip of Moon’s ear and took her seat back on the throne. “Now our first order of business.” Now that the personal greetings were over, Luna slipped back into her throne, resuming her previous, less then formal position. “I want Celestia’s access to my military files revoked. Without my consent, she is not allowed access to anything related to my Lunar Guard.”

Captain Moon nodded once. “Done, princess.” He still didn’t acknowledge Celestia’s presence in any way.

“Thank you. Second order of business. Deciding thine replacement, when you retire as Captain of the Lunar Guard.”

The spark in Cobalt’s eyes briefly flared brighter and his glare at the princess held intense disapproval. “We have already been over this, Luna! I want Night Striker as your Captain.”

Luna sat up into a more formal position on her throne, ruffling her feathers. “I have been giving this a lot of thought, Cobalt. As you well know, once you are retired, I need somepony to continue training my guard with Commander Hurricane’s military training. I believe Sable shouldn’t be discounted for this. She was very impressive while observing her combat skills in Rebi-”

Cobalt hissed, cutting Luna off from saying the name of his home city in public. Luna’s cheeks reddened with shame and guilt. Cobalt cleared his throat and continued their discussion “I very strongly advise against this decision, Luna. Sable may be one of my most promising recruits, but she is nowhere near ready, or even at all capable of handling this much responsibility. She’s damaged goods.”

“I understand your reservations, Cobalt. I do value thine experience and advice, but this decision is ultimately mine to make. I will give Sable a chance at this, and if she does not succeed in her duties once she’s been guided through the right therapy, then Night Striker will take her place as Captain.”

Cobalt sighed with resignation, and bowed his head in slight subservience to Luna. “You’ll need to start talking to Doctor Starsong, right away. I’m afraid she’s the only therapist in Equestria who will even consider taking Sable on as a patient. I would also advise you to appeal to Starsong’s maternalism when you approach her.”

“My main concern is trying to convince Sable herself to take part in Starsong's ‘unique’ therapy.”

“I’ll talk to Sable myself, Luna. That mare values her position in the Lunar Guard more than any other recruit I have under my command. I would have promoted her a long time ago, if she weren’t so... Challenging.”

Luna stood and pulled the courier bags onto her back. “Thank you for thine time, Captain. I wish you the best of luck in thine retirement. When you leave, please find Night Striker and the Night Terrors and send them to me.”

The captain gave Luna a brief nod, and flared his wings. “I will enjoy the extra time I will have to spend with my family.” Cobalt gave his wings a single flap, and faster than Celestia could even blink, he was gone. She was used to such thestrals who were mana-born. Cobalt Moon’s choice of magical discipline was the ‘accelero’ spell allowing him to move with lethal, blinding speed for several minutes at a time. Celestia sat patiently on her throne, looking as gentle and regal as ever, despite Captain Cobalt’s complete disrespect and disregard for her and offered Luna that loving sisterly smile of hers.

“Sister, I know I said I would respect your decisions.” Celestia forced herself to keep smiling and thinking of towers of cake so as not to launch into a screaming, enraged fit as she once more lectured and reprimanded Luna on what was acceptable behaviour in modern society. “But sleeping with your Captain, I must say, is one of the most stupidest things you have done so far, and I wish for you to stop sleeping with a married stallion.”

Luna sighed and rolled her eyes. “I am not as virtuous or prissy as you, Celly. And if Cobalt and his wife continue having no objections to me having sexual relations with them both, I shall continue doing so.”

Celestia took in a deep breath. It was so very tempting to grab the nearest, hardest object and use it to smack some sense into Luna’s head. “Very well, I have made my concerns known to you. Ultimately it’s your choice who you bed with and how you run your guard, and I will respect that. But if the nobles even get the tiniest hint of a rumor of your sexual activities...”

Luna hissed at her sister with displeasure. “I do not care about the nobles!” she snapped. “I am happy with my love life! If the nobles have any displeasure with that, they can go to Tartarus for all I care!” Luna sighed at the look of hurt on Celestia’s face and she stepped from her throne tightening the courier bags around her barrel. “This Equestria is still new and strange for me, sister. Traditions and practices that were acceptable before my banishment are now taboo to even talk about. I am not going to change what I consider normal just to make some noble ponies happy.”

“Luna you’r-”

Luna held up a hoof to silence her sister. “I will here no more about my love life, my guards or anything concerning my rule over Equestria. I am going to meet with starsong soon, if you wish to accompany you are free to do so. I think it will do you good to mingle with the thestral community and get to know them better. You can go to the ‘Nocturn Tavern’ while I have my meeting with Starsong.”
Celestia looked like she wanted to say many more things, instead she smiled and nodded. “I would love to come with you to meet the thestral community.”