It has been three hours and twenty-seven minutes since I got back to Canterlot and two of those hours has been spent standing still waiting while the armor fitter struggled to take human measurements. I should give him some slack however since I'm not a pony and he's probably never prepared for something like this to happen.

"You know, I don't need armor." I say trying to make his life easier, before looking at me he sighs.

"What do your kind normally do for armor?"

"For what I did right before coming here, my jacket, when I was on the front lines, protection along the torso, head, arms, and legs, but please keep it light, humans have a distinct fighting style and it's best if our movement isn't impaired at all by heavy sheets of metal. Actually, now that I think about it, with the weapons I've seen you all use, which seems to consist of nothing but spears, my jacket will be fine, as I'm sure the metal you use isn't in any way magic resistant."

"W-well, no it's not really... Are you sure you'll be fine with just the jacket? maybe a thin metal plate that can go underneath? I mean as the princess' personal guard you need some form of protection."

"That'll be fine, just something light and that won't impede my movement."

"Will do." He measures my torso once again to make sure he has the right numbers, before writing them down. "Nothing we have in stock matches your body in terms of shape anyway, so I'll have to make something up for you, it'll take a while but I'll get it done."

"So, I can go?"

"Yes, but it won't be done before your shift starts so just rest up, I'm sure you're going to be tired seeing as how you're now night guard and I'm sure before now you were in no way nocturnal."

"I'll be fine."

"So how is it that someone like yourself became princess Luna's personal guard?"

"We struck a deal with the prince of his world." We both look at the source of the voice and we spot the princess of the night herself, Luna. "We came to retrieve our guard, come, Edward." She turns to exit the room, as I grab my new found sword and belt of knives, and follow her out.

"So besides roaming the dream realm what do you do?"

"Not all that much, to be honest, there aren't many dignitary ponies that visit us during the night hours, only the elements, and the occasional night guard to give reports, which if you wouldn't mind I've informed them to go to you with those reports."

"I can handle those."

"Very good, gives us more time to protect ponies from nightmares." We reach the balcony and her horn glows a dark blue to cast herself in the dream realm before she remembers something important and the glow fades. "Oh, we also have a summit with the griffons, they have a few rouges, and we are going to discuss how this will affect the relationship between our kingdoms."

"When is this?"

"The end of next week."

"Understood." She nods and the glow returns to her horn as her eyes go white and she looks out into the never-ending night. I take to looking over the rooftops and to the sky scanning for anything that could pose an aerial threat when I hear someone trotting over to us.

"Sir." He says while standing to a salute, looking at his I see that the salutes they give aren't that different from ours, back on Earth, straight back with a gesture to his forehead, returning the salute he returns his hoof to the ground before speaking again. "The princess informed me to give you status reports as well as update you on the stations that our guards occupy."

"Go on."

"The guests are all safely in their rooms, with guards stationed at the doors, we have five guards patrolling the building, as well as units stationed at certain points along the perimeter."

"What about Celestia?"

"We have guards stationed outside of her quarters too."

"And only five guards on patrol?"

"Yessir. Is there an issue with that Sir?"

"Produce a map of the guards' stations and patrol routes and give it to me by sunrise. As well as a directory of names. Dismissed."

"Sir!" He gives another salute before turning and galloping off to do as I requested. Good to see that the guards have enough discipline to not question why a non-pony is now the personal guard of the princess. "Now that I think about that they probably should question it." I think to myself as I return to watching the skies with the occasional pass on the ground, with only the sight of Luna and the sound of the nightlife in the distance to keep me company while Luna does her duty of protecting ponies from their nightmares.

---><---

As the night went on it became quiet as ponies found their place among the dreams and the only company I receive is the sound of hoofsteps in the hallway and wingbeats in the air from guard ponies. I yawn as my eyelids begin to grow heavy as the Luna comes out of the dream realm and begins to lower the moon, and just as the light of the sunrise breaks the horizon the guard from earlier rushes in.

"Sir, here is the station and path registry for every night guard under you."

"Thank you. What is your name?"

"Mythic Haze, Sir!"

"Good job getting this to me, Mythic Haze."

"Sir, thank you, Sir!"

"Dismissed." He gives a salute before trotting back into the hallway, instantly turning more relaxed as he does as his shift is technically over. I take a glance at the registry as I turn to Luna to see if the transition is finished and the pure amount of sun I'm greeted with is almost unbearable to the point where I need to squint to keep my sight until my eyes adjust.

"Edward, what did you want Mythic Haze for?"

"I wanted a list of everyone, their stations, and patrol paths." I say while rubbing my eyes hoping that it'd help my vision to return.

"Planning to change their formation already?"

"No, I just wanted to look them over, if I see anything major to change I'll ask you first."

"No need." I give her a puzzled look as my sight finally returns to me prompting her to continue. "You have the authority to change the guards' stations as you see fit. That is part of what it means to be our personal guard. You stand above even that of the royal guard."

"I see..."

"Anyway, it is time for us to retire, come and escort us to our chambers."

"Yes, princess." I say as I take her to her room, as I look around I can see the night guards guarding dignitary ponies' rooms take leave as the solar guard replaces them, however, I already notice that some of the other stations have changed from night guards standing at the end of a hallway being dismissed by a solar guard taking post by a window. I take slight glances at the list as I lead Luna to her room. We eventually reach her chambers, giving a slight nod to the two solar guards I move aside so they can open the doors to allow Luna to enter, she gives me a sidelong glance and as she does I smile and nod, and after she's fully inside her room I nod again to the solar guards at her door and take my leave.

---><---

I finally find the comfort of my quarters which is surprisingly enough, the same room I slept in the first time I was in Canterlot. After I remove my jacket I sit in a chair and begin reading the roster and under the authority princess Luna gave me, I almost instantly begin making adjustments all the while muttering 'Who was it that came up with this..." I look out of my window as I begin to realize that the better part of my morning is going to be spent adjusting the stations.

A few hours pass as the sun is now fully visible in the sky, I'm just about to finish as I hear a knock on the door.

"Come in!" I shout and without further hesitation, someone walks in, looking up from the document I see it's none other than, the one guard who shares my supposed authority, Scarlet Dawn. "What do you need?"

"Edward, no formal greeting to your equal?"

"We both have things to do, so I'd rather our interactions be quick. You have a princess to guard and I have to clean up the night guards stations and possibly put together a guard unit for the Luna's going to in the cumming week. So for the sake of both of our time please make what you need quick."

"I just have a quick question."

"Ask away." I say as I go back to scribbling away on the roster.

"Why would that prince of yours, give you to us as a guard and willingly be watched by our officers?" Sighing I look up at her again and simply yet bluntly say.

"I don't know." Returning my attention to the task at hand I ask, "Is that all you wanted?"

"For now. But I'll be around to ask more questions as I come up with them."

"You do that." She turns and leaves as I finish the changes and begin writing a letter to Mythic Haze to inform him of the changes and instruct him to tell everyone about their new position and to also find volunteers to recruit new guards for the night shift. Having finished everything I set out to do, I track down a solar guard and instruct them to drop it in his mail box before I return to my room and sleep.

Author's Note

I apologize for the inactivity, you see school got insanely busy this past month and I haven't had much time to write so I apologize if this chapter is short and if it felt rushed at all.