Just For Kicks

Canterlot Castle is known for being silent during Luna's night. Not a light visible; no it seems  as though it becomes the embodiment of night itself. In earlier times the castle was believed to have been haunted; villagers reported hearing strange sounds emanating from the castle grounds. In reality it was just Celestia and her sister playing tag. The strange sounds and creepy laughter was just them enjoying themselves.

Sadly, tonight there was no laughter; Celestia stood tall and regal, this was not the time for games. As she addressed Spitfire, her eyebrows furrowed . The two were in the throne room and it was well into Luna's night. Normally at such a late hour Celestia would be preparing for bed as her sister watched over the city; but once Twilight's letter had arrived that all changed. Spitfire was not dressed in her iconic uniform and instead was just well, naked. She didn't have time to change, a messenger had woke her up stating that Celestia demanded her presence at the castle at once.

" I thought the wonderbolts were professionals!" Celestia said in a scolding voice to the wonderbolt captain.

" I assure you your highness I had no idea that this would happen. Kickback wasn't event supposed to go originally."

" That does not make it any less of problem. Your scout had one job, ONE JOB, and it was to simply pretend to do his actual job. Now how in Equestria did something as simple as lying turn into ponies being shot out of a cannon into a mare's home?"

Spitfire was quick to speak her mind.

" Your highness if I may say so myself I fail to see the problem, yes the manner in which the situation was initially handled was highly unprofessional but at the same time your highness; he is one of our best scouts." Spitfire had a small smirk on her face, the fact that she was being chewed out by Celestia didn't seem to faze her. In fact the only thing that did seem to surprise her was her choice of words.

" I don't care if he's the best scout in wonderbolt history, how can i be sure that he wont let slip the information that she is already a wonderbolt; he's a liability."

"Well, I spoke with Soarin and he said he made it clear to Kick that Rainbow Dash is not to know of her being a wonderbolt. He said he trusts in Kick's ability to handle the situation ;but if it may please you I have an idea that will ensure that Kick doesn't let his stupidity get the better of him."

" Don't you trust in him?"

"I trust him to handle the job he's paid to do and nothing more; but what if some pony were to go Ponyville and keep an eye on the situation and ensure everything goes according to plan?Would that put you at ease?"

Celestia's ear's perked up and her attention focused on what Spitfire had just said. " Why yes that would indeed put me at ease but who could we possibly send, my sister and I are far too busy with our royal duties here and after this incident i don't trust a wonderbolt to handle a situation like this.

Spitfire flinched at Celestia's last remark Kick you're so gonna get it next time I see you. Casting off her thoughts of pain for a certain Pegasus she opened her mouth to the princess only to stop and realize that she couldn't think of anypony to send. The two mare's simply stood in silence for a moment as they began to ponder who they could possibly send. The silence was broken by Celestia when she have a loud " Ah hah" and signaled one of her guards in the room to her side and she began to whisper something in his ear and once she moved away the guard took off out of the throne room.

" What was that all about?" asked Spitfire, her face displaying her confusion.

" Ive sent for the captain of the guard here at the palace, he will go to Ponyville and ensure that the operation runs smoothly."

" But wont the Ponyville residents get suspicious when they notice a fully armored guard randomly walking the streets?"

" Oh not to worry he happens to have family in Ponyville so everypony will just suspect he is visiting... oh my aren't you two quick."

It was at that time that Shining Armour entered the throne room and to his side the guard sent to retrieve him stood at attention with a serious expression." You called your highness?"

" Indeed i did, i have a mission for you" Celestia responded with a pleased tone off voice. Without waiting for his response she continued" I need you to go to Ponyville first thing in the morning and"...." I cant " His reply was stern. " There was an incident on the Equestrian Griffon kingdom border and im needed there. In fact i leave tomorrow morning."

Celestia's facial expression changed from pleased to one of defeat. She knew that duties came before her and her sisters own desire to do less work. She hung her head in defeat remained silent. Shining Armour, being the loyal soldier he is assumed it was a serious mission and whispered into the ear of the guard sent to retrieve him. Once again the guard took off from the throne room.

Spitfire, seeing as how she could do no more than take up space, bid her farewell's to the princess and Shining and began to make her way out of the throne room. Although it was late she had a certain vice captain to check up on in the hospital. Soarin had gotten a pretty bad stomach ache after inhaling thirty pies and forgetting to remove the tin.

Not long after Spitfire left, a small Pegasus came into the room. Celestia wearily looked up and noticed that Shining was talking to the small Pegasus. The Pegasus had a pearl white coat and two golden olive branches formed in the shape of a claw as a cutie mark, he had no tail however which struck her as odd. The Pegasus was a guard as whoever they were had armour covering their hooves, shoulder and wings along with a smoothly rounded helmet similar to the other guards but this one lacked the iconic blue mane poking out of it. Shining had stopped talking and the small guard saluted and Shining left the throne room.

Celestia simply stood there waiting for something to happen. The small guard made his way to Celestia's throne. Upon closer inspection she realized he had golden eyes. He immediately bowed and introduced himself. " Vice captain Gideon reporting for duty your highness." The colt's voice was shockingly deep but not so deep as to mistake him for a much larger pony.

" Ive been ordered to take Captain Shining Armour's place on a assignment. Permitting you allow such an action of course your highness."

Celestia stood up and descended down to the bottom of the throne. The stallion was still bowing when she made it to the bottom. " Rise." The small colt looked up and stood at attention, his face serious and eye's furrowed. Celestia smiled at the thought of him protecting herself and Luna., Well this ought to be interesting" Gideon your name was it? Take a walk with me, I have some questions to a ask you." Celestia was now walking towards the balcony with Gideon trailing along.

" Tell me Gideon" she said with a heavy sigh," What makes you qualified to take the place of captain Shining Armour?"

" Well your highness to be honest im not qualified to be in your presence let alone take on an assignment meant for the captain. The only combat experience I have is fending off monsters of chaos and changelings." " Only discord's minions and changelings?" Celestia said with a slight chuckle. By now both of them were on the balcony overlooking Canterlot. There was a silence as the two overlooked the beauty of Canterlot's city and Luna's night.

" Strange."

" Your majesty?"

" How come ive never seen you before?, in fact, why wasn't i aware that Shining Amour had a vice captain?"

" Well it might have something to do with the fact that i was hired during Discord's attack so I didn't really get a chance to fill out the paperwork;Technically im not on the payroll.

There was a pause,and then both of them erupted in a mild laughter.

Trying to catch her breath she spoke;" well you better get a move on."

" So you're letting me go?"

"The next train for Ponyville leaves in about an hour and unless you want to take a cannon i suggest you get a move on." Celestia had a small smile on her face but still focused on watching the city.

" I...I will leave at once, but um mam how will I blend into the town's populace. I don't know anypony in Ponyville?"

Celestia turned and began to walk towards Gideon. " Oh not to worry I will arrange you quarter and an alibi."

" Very well your majesty." Gideon made his way out of the throne room and soon disappeared around a corner which lead to his quarters.

Celestia immediately magicked a piece of parchment and quill and began to write something while chuckling to herself. While writing, the guard that had been sent to fetch Shining and Gideon  peeked around her leg and snagged a look at what she was writing.

Celestia picked up on this, " You know thats an invasion of privacy right?" She said it in a playful voice.

The amour clad soldier in question looked like any other guard, mane fitted helmet with armour covering his hooves and wings. With a smile of his own he spoke his soft deep voice.

"Your highness Ive worked here for years and if there is one thing I learned its that if you truly didn't want me to see this, id most likely be on the moon right now. However you do know that in order for this to check out, somepony will have to..."

" Oh im well aware of what must be done in order for this to work. In fact im looking forward to it."

" I think its highly unnecessary." His voice just as playful as Celestia's, only with a touch of stallion." If I recall you personally know this Kickback don't you?" His tone as teasing as a sibling.

Before all the blood in her body could rush to her head, Celestia sought to change the subject.

" Necessary or not im doing it and that's that." Celestia rolled up the scroll and placed her seal upon it. Still holding the letter via magic she faced the guard and spoke, " Now come along, we have a train to catch, and the walk from here to the station is quite a journey."

With a sigh the guard responded with a simple " as you wish."

After a series of unsuccessful teleportaitons, Celestia and her escort arrived at the train station, the guard's amour covered in soot and Celestia's mane standing straight up. " I told you we should have taken the carriage" barked the guard. "Oh hush now its nothing some spit and cloth cant fix. Now where is that Gideon fellow ? The train leaves in ten minutes. If he's late ill have him moonside in a second."

" You would really do that to somepony for being late?"

" Of course not , I would most likely launch them out of the wonderbolt stunt cannon; oh where is he!"

" Well that explains those random booms , I thought they were just my flashbacks coming and going."

It was just then that Gideon had arrived and began to look for his train when he heard somepony calling out his name.

Lets see, seat number 105MM, MM? The hell does that mean? Wheres a conductor when you need one. Wait.. whose that? He recognized the voice calling him as that of his princess. " Your highness?" He called out.

Celestia soon caught sight of Gideon, it wasn't that hard to be honest. He was the only pony at the station besides her with a white coat , also the fact that he had all of his gear on might have made it easier to spot him. Despite Canterlot's strange fashion craze of new things, toting military breastplates wasn't in that season.

" Gideon there you are, Ive been searching all over this station for you." Her tone resembling that of Rarity's drama queen voice.

" No she hasn't, she's just been here calling out your name and nothing more." The guard's tone of voice was betraying how tired he was, soon it would be time for Celestia to raise the sun.

" He he, well not to be rude but the train does leave in 5 minutes."

" Oh yes here, take this scroll. In it contains the details for your mission. you are not to look at it until you reach Ponyville, understood."

" Yes sir, um i do have one ques..." Not more than a second after Gideon spoke Celecstia's hoof made contact with his face with enough force to render him unconscious.

" Is he out cold already?" the guard asked somewhat shocked at how hard his princess could punch.

" Hmph, now then, take off his clothes will you, not very stealthy to have him running around with his armour."

" You realize that everypony here just saw you hit him right?"

He was right; everypony nearby had stopped what they were doing if they hadn't already when Celestia arrived. All of their jaws were now sharing theirs coat's color with the ground.

" Well aren't you going to say something?"

" Why me? I just stripped a stallion in public ; and now i have to explain why the sun princess clocked him in the face?"

" The moon is lovely this time of year don't you think?"

" Fine", with a grunt the guard stepped forward to address the still amassing crowd.

"Greetings citizens...this uh, altercation is just um.. a game. Yes that's it; a game, and its called uhh Alicorn tag yeah and instead of a simple nudge you have to punch your opponent in the face in order to not be it anymore.

The crowd stood silent for a minute but the sound of a last boarding call quickly snapped them out of their trance and the bustle that was the train station quickly resumed itself.

"Alicorn tag, really?"

"Oh can we just hurry up please, im tired."

The princess and her escort arrived at Gideon's train with the guard dragging him by some rope. They then threw unconscious guard into the train and Celestia put the scroll into a satchel and magicked it on Gideon's body.

" That could have gone better" Said the guard; eyelids becoming heavier with each step.

" I agree, next time we launch him out of the cannon."

The two began to make the long walk back to the castle; both too tired to realize that they could just teleport there instead.

As a conductor moved an unconscious Gideon to his seat; the sound of the engine roaring became louder and the train groaned. Soon the carriage was being pulled forward, while the passengers prepared for a quiet ride to Ponyville.