"Loona, there are rumors flying all about Canterlot." Luna stood at her window, gazing out over the land. "I am told you fought a pegasus, and yet you appear unscathed." She turned her head towards her recently arrived guard. "That, and Pinkie found you. I thought being in a different city would be sufficient. She is a wonder in the shape of a pony at times."

Loona chuckled and shrugged. "Don't worry about it." She leaned on a nearby wall. "What should we do for the evening?" She lifted her hand to mime a drink. "We can hit a pub?"

Luna reached with a mental hand to prod Loona. "We will do nothing until you answer me. You fought a guard? How did that end?"

Loona raised her hands to ward off further questions. "It was nothing! Some pegasus and a unicorn thought they could get the jump on me. We didn't even finish, but they figured out pretty fast you didn't hire me just for my looks." She fluttered her lashes with a smirk. "Though, I'm sure that was part of the equation."

Luna chuckled softly, shaking her head. "You do make a cute puppy." A grin spread across her muzzle when Loona snarled at her. "Oh, don't give me that look. I happen to enjoy the parts of you that are adorable and their clash with the rest. Now, tell me one more thing." She tapped her forehooves together. "Do you wish a gift for your welcome festivity?"

Loona's expression fell flat, and she gave Luna a long, slow, look-over. "You want to get me a gift?" She reached up and scratched her cheek thoughtfully. "Don't know if I should turn my boss down when she offers to buy me stuff." She hummed with clear thought on it. "Oh! Do ponies have any good weapons? Like some solid guns or a sweet sword?"

Luna smirked. "I think we can manage something to that effect. You'll have it for your party, but for now I think I shall enjoy a night of rest." She turned towards Loona, winking once. "You've had a busy day, and I have dreams to patrol. We'll both see to our needs. I will rest here." She slid up onto her bed. "And you will ensure nothing bothers me, and get some rest while you're at it."

Loona nodded once. "Sure thing." She leaned against the door and waited there. "Night, princess."

"Goodnight, Loona." Luna settled in and let herself relax, sinking into slumber. It wasn't slumber, not for her. She threw herself into the realm of dreams to begin her night of work for the good of ponies across Equestria.

That left Loona standing there. "Right, so, what do I do with myself all night while she's asleep?" She mused that question to herself, leaning on one leg. "She has a point." She leaned back against a wall. "Maybe I should just chill."

As jobs went, that one was reasonably relaxed, just half-sleeping with some faint sense on the room for movement. Time passed in that calm far into the night and starting into the morning when Luna stirred.

"Mmm?" She sat upright. "Loona, you're still here. You have done your duty." She stretched as she rose to her hooves, stepping down from the bed. "I think I will get something to eat, then go to bed for real."

Loona followed with a pricked ear. "But you were just sleeping."

"It's not the same." Luna shook her head as she stepped from her room past her other guards. "During the night, I am working. I get no rest, for I am very busy. It is not physical, but it is work. Like any work, it is draining. I must sleep like any other pony after a long day of labor. The same as you would, puppy."

Loona rolled her eyes at the name, but chuckled. "I guess I can relate to that. So, what're you getting?"

Luna descended the hallways with experience in navigating. "If I have my timing right, sister should—Ah, there she is."

Ahead of them, Celestia was working on a pancake, with another nearby on a different plate with a smiling face adorned on it in the toppings. She brightened on seeing Luna. "Sister, dear. How was work?" She slid the pancakes over.

Luna took hers with a nod. "Quite busy. There are many ponies in Equestria these days." She levitated the pancake to take a bite. "It still perplexes me that you have time to make me one of these near every day."

"Some things are worth it." She took a bite of her own. "I see your guard is at your side. I try not to play favorites with mine."

Luna nodded. "They're quite good. I have been pleased with Loona's presence. She keeps herself awake and alert all night, even when there seems little to watch for. I have no complaints."

Loona fired a finger gun at Celestia. "How's it going, sun butt?"

Celestia started, wings fluttering. "You are quite impudent. It's a change from the normal." She didn't sound overly annoyed by it. "Has she called you 'moon butt' then?"

Luna smirked. "Once or twice. She's nice to me when I'm on duty."

Celestia chuckled softly. "I am glad to hear that. She needs someone else to talk to aside from myself. She doesn't make friends as easily as I do."

Loona huffed at that. "Hey, shut up. I can make friends just fine." Her defensive burst was poorly hidden, both rulers watching her a moment. "What?"

Celestia held her gaze, then dropped it with a nod. "As you say. But, do not forget. Having someone to speak to is good for the heart."

Loona rolled her eyes, but didn't push the matter.

Luna finished her morning treat in a few big bites. "She has me, for company, just as I have her, for protection. We are both winners in the exchange."

Celestia nodded once. "As it should be." She looked at Loona with an even gaze. "How do you think of Equestria? Has it been kind to you?"

Loona rolled a hand at that. "Except the parts where the guards give me 'tests' to make sure I'm 'worthy' of watching Luna. They have a real jealous streak."

Celestia's eyes went flat. "They do. Don't worry about them. My guards are like that at times, but they are good ponies under it all." She offered a smile. "You are alright?"

"Sure." Loona nodded. "They got their asses kicked, if that helps." She clicked her tongue against her teeth. "If they want to challenge me, they're going to have to up their game."

Celestia chuckled. "I see. Well, I'll be certain they don't try to bother you too much." Her expression turned thoughtful and she glanced off. "Luna, rest well, and know my love travels with you." She blew a little kiss.

Luna nodded, returning the small gesture. "I will." She turned away. "Loona, escort me back to my room. Then, you're free to rest, if you wish. Your work day is complete once we arrive at my room. My other guards can stand guard over the room's entrance."

Loona shrugged her shoulders, remaining at Luna's side until she had seen the ruler into the room. She considered sleeping herself. The night was starting to catch up to her as she made her way back to the hotel room. She drew up short as a pegasus landed in front of her. Her hackles raised, spotting they wore guard's armor.

"Hold your horses," spouted the pony with no awareness of how little they should be using that saying. "I'm not here to start a fight."

Loona glared at them quietly. "Why are you here, then?"

"I wanted to ask." The pony shifted their wings in an awkward shuffle. "Just what did Luna see in you to make her hire you?"

Loona blinked softly. "You know, that's actually a good question." She mused back to how they had met. "Part of me thinks it's because she knows I could have done something awful, but didn't, because I didn't want to hurt her. But I could have, and I think she knows it."

The pegasus nodded along with a quiet hum. "You're a fierce fighter, but she isn't looking for someone to fight battles she could win herself. She wants someone who won't buckle if things turn tough, but who also knows when not to bother fighting."

Loona laughed at that. "Well, working on part of that. If someone starts a fight, I finish it." She curled her fingers in a display of her menacing claws. "But I don't start them, usually. So, you're not one of the guards that wants to try jumping me then?"

"Naw, those are some hotheads from the night shift." The pegasus shrugged their wings. "They were just surprised to hear Luna had hired somecreature else, and a non-pony on top." He chuckled at the thought. "I'd be just as confused if Princess Celestia suddenly hired a griffon to be her personal guard. You're just an unusual choice."

Loona chuckled softly and shrugged. "It's fine. You ponies know jack-shit about my kind, or where I come from, so I get why you'd be nervous." She pointed at the new pony. "So, day guard? If you watch Sun Butt, you're doing a bad job."

"Oh, nah." He waved the thought away. "Day guard, yes, but attendant to Celestia, no." He rolled his eyes at the very thought. "Can you imagine me in her service? I don't have half of what it takes for that. That's work on another level!"

Loona laughed at the thought. "If you ponies think that, I can see why they got upset some new person snatched the job out from under them. Pity Luna seems to like me. Now, I plan to get something to eat, probably in my room." She hiked a thumb at the hotel further down the road. "You want to join me?"

The pegasus shrugged. "Sure thing."

***

Loona returned to the hotel, finding Twinkleshine already at the front desk, watching her every movement. The hellhound returned the look, giving it right back. "I see you too."

Twinkleshine burst into giggles. "Good! I'm ready to help whenever you need anything at all. Just ask, or call from your room. Oh, you have a friend." She waved excitedly at the guard following Loona. "Hi!"

The guard gave a half-hearted wave. "Hi."

Loona rolled her eyes, heading for the elevator. "They're going to eat with me. Is there anything you'd suggest?"

Twinkleshine considered quietly and then nodded. "Oh! Yes! And you have a friend, which is good, because this comes in big servings. Really big! It's a New Year Celebration Float! Comes with sparklers and everything, and I hear it's pretty tasty, mmm."

Loona shrugged and glanced down at the pony following her. "Want to try some weird-ass pony dessert I can't even imagine?" She flashed sharp teeth in a smirk.

"Sounds good." He waved a hoof through the air. "I haven't had any of this yet, so I'll trust you two. You're on the front desk, you'd know what's good."

The two made their way to the elevator and rode it up to Loona's room. "Just checking." She glanced aside at him. "Are you just being friendly, or are you trying to be friendly?"

The guard chuckled once, shaking his head. "The first, I think. I'm not saying no if you're interested, but I was really just coming over to ask about what Luna saw in you."

Loona snorted as she stalked down the hallway towards her door. "Points for being honest, but I didn't think a cute pony would want to get close to a literal hell hound, you know? Luna's got the big and in charge things going for her. What about you?"

The pegasus shrugged as they entered her room. "You seem pretty nice." He sat on the bed with a quiet breath of air. "I don't judge by appearances, or whatever."

Loona smirked and flopped across her couch. "Just a pony with an open mind. Typical male, more like. Any chick's as good as the next, huh?"

He rolled his eyes, but chuckled at the thought. "Nothing that bad." He turned his head to look at her. "So, what are you, anyway? I've never met someone like you."

"I wasn't joking. Hell Hound." He still looked confused. "You don't know what Hell is?" He shook his head. "Figures. Have a seat, and I'll give you the quick run down."

By the time she was done with that story, their food had arrived, carried by Twinkleshine. Loona gave the dish a glance, taking stock of it. She raised her hand in a wave. "Damn, you were not joking. The float was a wild orgy of a celebration. There were several sparklers dangling from it, a twirling ribbon, and even some contraption on the top ticking down towards the new year. "Hot damn. Well, I paid the right price."

Free was a nice number. "Come over here and let's share this monstrosity."

The two dug in, though the guard had to be careful of the candles. "So, you really have met Princess Luna then?"

Loona beamed at the thought. "Of course! I'd be shit at protecting her if I hadn't met her, don't you think?"

"True." He shook his head. "Most guards don't get to serve right by one of the sisters, is all. I've seen Princess Celestia a few times, but I'm usually doing something else." He took a fresh bite of the cold sweet treat. "Mmm, not bad."

Loona nodded along, licking whipped cream from her muzzle. "Yeah, it's alright." She rolled her eyes. "I can make something that puts this to shame."

He smirked slightly, watching the way she was licking at her muzzle. "Is that so?"

She caught his look and gave him a flat stare. "I had to cook for myself most of the time. My dad gets busy, and I ain't a little girl anyway. But what I'm thinking of, the ingredients aren't around here." She danced her fingers. "This ain't Hell."

He shrugged. "So?"

"So it's not Hell. I don't have access to the stuff we use there, okay? Like this." She gestured at the food. "It's sweet, but I'd prefer something spicy." She licked her lips, thinking on it. "But, not awful. A bit over the top, but, whatever. New Years, right?"

He nodded rapidly. "Yeah, it's kind of a big deal! Are there no New Years in Hell?"

Loona rolled her eyes. "Sure, we have things like that, but not with ponies. We do more orgies. Orgies of violence, of shouting, of, well, actual orgies." She counted on her fingers as she went. "We don't hold back, and we don't have sparkly ice cream floats with our friends as a rule."

The pony frowned quietly. "And you don't have friends?"

Loona glanced away. "Well, sorta. More like 'work buddies', right? We work together, and we're not killing each other, usually. Though two of them are trying to axe each other half the time, but that's a love ritual or whatever. They both enjoy it, saps."

The pegasus shook his head quietly. "You know, if I can call you a friend, you're not entirely alone. I'm sure Princess Luna sees you as more than just an attendant too."

Loona reached across to shove the pegasus. "I don't even know your name. Do you know mine? Figure you might have heard it."

He rubbed his arm as he thought. "I don't think I ever did learn it. I wasn't paying attention when I heard you had been picked up, so I didn't catch who was hired, just that somecreature besides a pony had been. I'm Sentry. Flash Sentry. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Loona." She rolled her eyes and settled back to enjoy the treat. "This really is a lot of food. I guess it's nice to have someone else around to share it with."

Flash bobbed his head. "It's at least a two-pony thing." He waved a hoof at the treat. "Maybe three. Not bad though."

Author's Note

Foster old friends, make new ones. Loona has a lovely day, er, night.

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