In the Light of the Moon

"Fired!?" a bat pony-hybrid asked a tall, dark blue alicorn.

"Yes, you did not do anything to help during Chrysalis's attack." the alicorn said.

"Bu-but Princess Luna! Your sister's guards had it all under control! That's why I didn't send any troops out!" he explained.

"But we were still kidnapped, I am firing you because you failed to protect the princess!" Luna said.

"Bu-but you can't do this! Who's going to step up? I already fired my second-in-command!" he stated, trying desperately not to lose his job.

"You're fired! Now leave this castle at once!" Luna yelled.

He left the the castle in a huff.

"I thought that he was a keeper." Luna muttered as she filled out a poster saying: Captain of the night guard needed! Requirements: At least some military experience. We're desperate!

"Be sure to use that copying spell and put it up in the bat district of Canterlot, and in their roots in the Everfree Forest." Luna told her messenger.

"I don't suppose any of you want to be the new captain?" Luna asked, looking at her small guard.

None of them stepped forward or said anything, for fear of losing their job and not being able to feed their families.

"Well, you all can have a two week break, or maybe even longer, you can all go home and see your families, I know that it's been awhile." Luna said, smiling wearily as her overjoyed guards walked out of the meeting room.

"I guess I'll go into town and scout for a new captain." Luna said as she walked out of the room.

The bat district of Canterlot was a small one, but was bursting with life and fun. Little foals were playing, their families laughing and retelling old stories, it was the perfect place  to live. Luna used to love taking strolls through this are before her corruption. The ponies there were different and invisible, like she used to be. All of the young stallions were crowded around the new guard poster, except for one, he was playing with a small filly, she looked like any other regular bat filly, except that she only had three legs, and a huge red blob was in place of the front leg. Luna wanted to talk to this duo. She walked over to the two ponies.

"Um, excuse me?' Luna asked when she got over to the two.

"Yes- Princess Luna! What are you doing here?" the stallion asked as he bowed.

"Please, call me Luna! I came here to look for a new captain for my royal guard and I was immediately interested in the fact that you're not looking a the guard poster." Luna replied.

"Oh, well, I don't have enough money alone to buy a meal at a regular Canterlot restaurant let alone to become a captain! But I do need money money to pay for my little sister's surgery." he said.

"Not to be rude, but what happened to your little sister?" Luna asked.

"She has some type of cancer, she got it right after our parent's died and left us in debt two years ago." he said.

"I'm terribly sorry and I am willing to let you become captain of the guard for free, it pays very well and if you have any military experience, I can get you already for the job!" Luna said.

"Would playing wooden swords with your dad count?" he asked, desperate to help his sister.

"Not really, but I will personally train you, after all, I learned to fight during my exile on the moon." Luna said.

"Wait, you mean I can be the captain of your guard?" he asked.

"Yes,  if you want to that is." Luna said.

"Of course, anything for my sister, but where will she stay?" he asked.

"Well, I will get your sister treated without you having to pay anything, but you will still be paid to pay off your debt." Luna said.

"Thank you very much! I'll try to do my best!" he said.

"No, thank you, and I never caught your name, what is it?" Luna asked.

"I was never named, though my sister's name is Dreamcatcher. When she was born, I really wanted to name her, so we did." he said.

"Well, we shall call you...um...do you have any nicknames?" Luna asked.

"Well, my sister calls me Night Light, but, that's the name of Princess Twilight Sparkle's father." he said.

"Well, we'll still call you that, we can change your birth certificate right now! Let us go to where your birth certificate is!" Luna yelled as she took down the poster and started walking to the hospital. She looked back at Night Light.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Luna asked.

He smiled at her and said to his sister: "You're going to get well!" he said.

The hospital was an interesting experience, at first, the pony at the desk refused service to a hybrid, but saw the princess and immediately let them through.

"I love my job." Luna said as she and Night Light got his sister to her own royal sweet to be treated.

"And I can tell that I'm gonna suck at my new one!" Night Light joked.

"Well, practice makes perfect! Now, let's get you a name!" Luna said.

"Yeah, good idea." he said.

Luna got Night Light his name and the pair headed to the castle for Night Light's training. When Luna brought Night Light to her guard, they were all surprised, not only by his quick employment, but by the fact that he was so scrawny and didn't know how to fight.

"Psh, there's no way that HE could be our new captain, I guess Luna was rREALLY desperate!" one of them scoffed.

"Well, your new captain is going to be trained by me! Your so called, desperate boss!" Luna said, coming up behind him.

"Oh please, you can't fight! That's why we were hired in the first place!" the same one said, angering Luna even more.

"So you think I can't fight eh?" Luna asked as he punched him into the wall.

"Point taken." he mustered.

"Uh-huh, you all are still of for two weeks, I only called you here to meet your new captain, I still need to train him!" Luna said, shooing the rest of the guard away.

"Yes, okay! Goodbye your Highness!" one of them said as he walked out of the door.

"Now, let's get your armor!" she said once the room was empty.

"This is going to be a long two weeks." he muttered.