Under the Moon and the Sun

It's just a parade after all, damnit

The Parade of Victory, a colossal event organized and announced right after the news of the Sufrit's death, held so that millions of Chiropterrians can cheer the victories of the Commonwealth.

And to display the strength of the Army for all to see.

It was imperative for all of the divisions in the army to participate, the High Command was irremovable on this, even if it caused moodiness in the ranks. Many officials tried to protest, everyone wanted to rest after the bloodshed.

Shining was one of them.

Even if he was promoted in the end, he wasn't a super soldier, no one in the army was, and organizing a parade without some time to rest beforehand was stressful and without any sense. Obviously, the protests were rejected, it wasn't a surprise.

While reflecting on this, Shining looked outside from the window of his wagon. The train should arrive at New Ayacachtli in about 40 minutes and for now it was traveling through the Mountains that isolated the Capital of the Commonwealth.

Urbs Aeternus

He always wanted to see the residence of Her Imperial Majesty and her Royal Capital, Shining could feel a bit of excitement deep within him, he could even see Nightmare Moon live and not from a screen with a terrible resolution.

He didn't understand why so many people bought that infernal machine, including him, but it was too late and he had to stick with it, even if the price was high.

And when it isnt…

His hoof started to hurt a little, Shining dropped the pen and massaged it, his memories could wait a little, not like they will run away from his head. Atleast he hoped they wouldn't, it would for sure cause a headache in the future.

Shining decided that he had enough. He got up from his desk and leaned towards the open window.

The train was running fast, and he could feel the cold breeze against his face. Great mountains, all covered in snow, showed up, and, sometimes, remoted villages popped out from the panorama, with the lights of the houses that radiated and stood out the little hamlets. Unfortunately he didn't see any figure from the distance that could be hailed.

It was Night after all, even if he was a bat.

3 days later

Too large of an audience for his standards.

The Parade was inaugurated with an incredible speech by the Nightmare, and by a more mediocre one of the High Command, praising the strength of the Legionnaires and that of the Commonwealth’s Army.

After that the Air Force put on a show. where planes designed, with incredible precision, a giant Moon in the sky. Obviously everyone cheered at the sight.

Her Imperial Majesty and the High Command were on a small platform right in front of the Royal Palace, by far the largest building in the entire Commonwealth. A perfect example of how a single structure can represent the power of a Monarch.

Shining read about the history of the Royal Palace of the Kaiser of Griffonkind, in some ways, it was similar to the palace of the Goddess of the Night. The royal court had its place there and while some powers were still in the hands of the Council, the biggest decisions happened for sure inside of the walls of the palace.

He wanted to be everywhere but not there, marching on the Lunar Plaza, at 35C in full uniform, sweating like he was in the Tartar wasn't exactly what he hoped for.

Atleast the crowd cheered for them, small consolation.

Now his division was marching towards the center of the square, right in front of the High Command and of the Nightmare. Shining could already see the faces of the most influential and powerful people of the entire Commonwealth.

He looked at the crown, a line of guards separated it from the parade and from the Nightmare. They were having a rough day trying to contain the thousands of people in the entire plaza.

There were many different people for that parade: bats, ponies and even some griffons. Everyone tried to be there to see the Nightmare herself saluting her proudful legions. After the Act of Tolerance many initiatives promoted integration between the Commonwealth's races.

He saw a pony, in the distance, they were a minority in the Commonwealth, applauding the units like everyone did and smiling. She had with her a small purse, of a yellow colour and a hat, one that you use if u live in countries like Macawia, Shining saw many of them when he had a vacation years before.

Much closer to him there were a group of bats, they were holding a camera trying to film every second of the parade. He saw the hats the two were wearing, with a giant PRESS written on the top. One of them was trying to keep some of the crowd distant from the machine with a hoof.

I cannot wait for this to end, there shouldn't be much left.

Then someone started screaming.

A scream, the sound of a bullet, a guard falling with blood spraying out of his head, a pony breaching, running with a revolver towards the platform, shooting.

It was chaos.

The crowd dispersed, running, screaming. The High Command also rushed, trying to shelter from the bullets, the guards were panicking, divided between holding the mass of people, rushing away from the square and from rushing towards the terrorist.

The people themselves, happy until some seconds ago, rushed towards the exit of the Plaza, trampling on each other. The slower ones were the most unlucky, crushed by the hoofs of the others behind them.

The Royal Guards tried to implore the Nightmare to go away from the scene, but she remained in the same position as before. Deaf to requests and entreaties.

1

Shining knew he should do something.

2

No.

3

He began to run towards the mare. Not many meters separated him from her.

4

A member of the Royal Guard fell, a bullet hole had now replaced his eye.

5

My damned vacation

6

He threw himself against the mare, trying to grab the gun, the mare tried to point the gun towards him. But Shining resisted, she wasn't strong, and managed to take the gun away.

“You don't know what you have done”, the mare said.

“You shouldn't worry about me right now”, Shining was disgusted.

“The end of hell is near, and so the beginning of paradise.”, she bit her tooth.

Drool came out of her mouth, her body was shaking. The veins became more and more evident. But the eyes were still looking at Shining, she smiled.

And then her body stopped.

Shining looked through his surroundings, the square was chaotic, many were still trying to escape from the scene, guards everywhere, sirens of the police, and ambulances could be heard from the distance.

He looked at the Nightmare.

She hadn't moved the entire time, observing what was an attack against herself. Even when the bullets started to fly. Even when her Guards tried to convince her to leave. Even when one of those Guards got killed by the terrorist.

Now the Nightmare was looking at him, the expression it was indecipherable for the eye of Shining. Too distant from him.

For sure she was upset, but there was something else. Why did she remain there?

She smiled at him, something that rarely happened, before leaving the platform, passing right next to the corpse of one of his Guards. That, with the composure befitting a monarch. Or a Goddess.

Shining was immediately surrounded by medics, the ambulances arrived and were already taking care of the wounded, and the dead.

3 medics started to take care of him, inviting Shining to reach the ambulance that parked near him. “I'm fine thanks”, Shining said to them, in fact he didn't have any major wounds. Others that day were not as lucky as him. He looked to his right. The 2 press agents were still there, they filmed the entire scene and Shining had no doubt that this attempted murder would be on the front page.

He got up. He needed to find his superior and reunite with his unit and attend instructions, he couldn't do anything more than that.

Then 2 figures blocked his way.

They were 2 bats, dressed in suit and tie, both identical. One was slightly taller than the other, an albino, with yellow eyes, of a tonality that reminded Shining pure gold. The other, the smaller one, had black eyes like carbon and a gray skin.

“Nightmares Hoof here, im agent T and this is agent K, could u follow us? We don't have much time before the press arrives”

Truly the best day of my life