Shadow Of Night

Chapters

Chapter One - Walking Shadow
Chapter Two - Questions Of Anything
Chapter Three - Night Falls Gently
Chapter Four - Small Steps, Long Journey

Chapter One - Walking Shadow

Businesses all across Ponyville were closing for the night. While all it's visitors and inhabitants were preparing to end their day, one pony was preparing to start theirs.

The sun was already on the edge of the horizon as he began preparing himself for the job ahead of him. He drank from the stream leading into the town and began washing and grooming, hoping to give his employers the best first impression that he could give. He ran the social niceties over in his head, needing to bring them to the front of his mind since he rarely gets much use of them.

“Good day Mister and Missus Cake,” he began. His naturally deep voice came out ragged and slurred. He cleared his throat and took another drink from the stream. “No, too informal. These are my employers and my spokes-ponies, I need to greet them with courtesy and respect,” he said aloud to himself in a much cleaner voice. “Greetings Mister and Missus Cake. My name is Starless Night. Mister Weathervane has sent me from Appleloosa.” Now his voice hung on the air like the sound of wind-chimes on a still evening, finally back to normal. “Maybe too formal now, but they need me to do a job, not be their best friend.”

Finished cleaning himself up, he carefully packed away his sleeping bag and equipment and placed them into his cart, then cleaned the makeshift campsite until it appeared to have never been used. With everything done, he took his position at his cart and began walking into Ponyville.

//----------------//

The sun had set over an hour ago as Mrs Cake sat outside Sugarcube Corner, keeping an eye out for the pony Mr Cake had told her was sent to help them. Although she was pleased that there was help on the way, she couldn’t help but feel worried about the lack of information on this pony they plan to leave the bakery to over the next few nights.

The door next to her had opened and Mrs. Cake turned to see her husband walk out of their shop and take the seat next her.

Mr. Cake could clearly see the worry on his wife's face and quickly tried to put her fears to rest. “Don't worry Honeybun, I'm sure he'll be here soon. I'm sure the long distance he’s traveled has caused him to be late is all. Weathervane said Starless has never missed a night's work since he hired him.”

Mrs Cake could not be put at ease that easily and replied earnestly. “But Carrot, we're leaving not only our life's work, but our home in the hooves of a pony we don't know and never stays in one place for long. How can we take that chance?”

Mr Cake looked at the sky and took a deep breath, taking a moment to experience his surroundings before answering. He feels the same fears that she does, so how can he just expect her to set them aside because they need to? His ears perk up at the sound of a distant cart rolling along the cobbled streets but ignores it, turning to his wife. “I feel your fear Cup Cake, and under the circumstances, I wouldn’t dream of doing this. But Spinning Weathervane is our friend and he has sent us this pony in our time of need. We should trust him just like he has trusted us.”

They remain quiet as they ponder the situation, looking to the stars as if the answers to there problems lay there. Moments pass when Mr Cake sits up suddenly tense, being alerted by the sound of a cart almost right on top of them. Before them, slowing to a stop, they see a tall, thin Earth pony with his coat, mane and tail colored a deep black, the shade of the night itself, pulling a well aged cart. He looked back and forth across the street at the signs over head until his eyes met Sugarcube Corner's. He carefully pulled up to the bakery's wall and up to the pair, saying in a voice that filled the air around them, but didn't travel far, “Greetings Mister and Missus Cake. My name is Starless Night. Mister Weathervane has sent me from Appleloosa.”

The Cakes stood in silence, taking in the strange pony as he silently slipped out of the cart's harness. With the closer look, they could see that Starless' entire body was one even shade of black. No, black was not the word they were looking for, shadow was. Not another color marred him, not even a cutie mark. That one point was beyond strange to them since he looked to be almost as old Big McIntosh, but slightly shorter and a lot thinner. They watched as he retrieved his messenger bags and tossed them onto his back, their color matching his coat so well that they seemed to melt into his sides.

He came to a stop in front of them allowing them a clear look of his eyes. His irises were the same color as his coat and what should have been the whites of his eyes were the color of a deep swirling fog, seemingly endless in its depth.

Mr. Cake was the first to come out their shared shock and quickly stammered out a greeting, “I...I...It's a pleasure to meet you Starless, uh, do you mind being called Starless?”

“If Starless is makes you comfortable, please do so,” he said in that voice that filled the air around only them, not seeming to be bothered by their reaction.

“Well, Mrs Cake and I are ready to leave for the night, so if you'd like, I'll show you around and get you started.” With a nod of approval from Starless, Mr Cake leads him and Mrs Cake inside.

//----------------//

Having finished raising the moon and stars for the night, Princess Luna stands at her private balcony surveying the land for things out of place before using the nearby telescope for her nightly stargazing.

All seemed to be in its proper place, but whenever she would look towards Ponyville, a small inkling of caution would call out to her from the deep reaches of her mind. She wasn’t a stranger to that feeling when looking at Ponyville, seeing as the town was located so close to the Everfree Forest, and with Twilight and her friends being at the center of so many dangerous situations that her sister and herself would always be alert for that sensation. But tonight, something was different about it, something that made her stay on edge.

The minutes had ticked away, with her concern for Ponyville making her feel every second as it slipped by. After almost an hour peering into the darkness, she spotted the inconsistency that made her uneasy, a light. One that never shines at this time of night. Luna knew the habits of the people of Ponyville, having kept her eye on it for almost three years.

Luna took her seat at the telescope and began working the mechanisms to turn and point it towards Ponyville. The powerful tool, meant for viewing distant stars, had no difficulty showing her the streets of the quiet town, and her acute night vision allowed her trouble free sight.

After several moments adjusting the telescope, she keyed onto the offending light source. After fine tuning the focus, she saw that the light came from Sugarcube Corner, a shop she had never been to since they were closed for Nightmare Night, but she knew of the owners and she had sampled the treats that her sister Celestia had brought back for her on several occasions.

Luna watched for a few moments as the Cakes looked up at the stars, bringing a small smile to her lips. Suddenly, Mr Cake was alert and soon he and Mrs Cake were on their hooves, looking down the street. A quick adjustment showed her that they were looking at a slowly approaching cart. A cart moving on its own? But they show no fear of it, more of a stunned amazement. If the cart was just rolling free, their reaction would be different. Surely a cart rolling free must be of a somewhat common occurrence.

Luna rubbed her eyes. A warning that there was something wrong with what she was seeing was again calling out to her. She steeled herself and peered though the telescope again. With the cart closer to the light from the bakery windows, she could now see an Alicorn with its coat and mane so dark she had missed it the first time she looked. She couldn’t tell from this distance if the Alicorn pony had a cutie mark, but the horn and wings were unmistakable, especially when it reached into its cart and put on its equally dark messenger bags. After a few moments, The Cakes and the Alicorn exchanged a few words, and a clearly flustered Mr Cake escorts everyone into the bakery.

Luna falls back into her seat, heart racing in time with the implications running through her head. An Alicorn secretly meeting with bakers under the cover of darkness. But how could this Alicorn have sneaked through the market district without arising suspicion? Even with the cover of darkness and the matching color of its body, the cart it pulled was just bare weathered wood. Just the appearance of the cart apparently moving on its own would cause heads to turn, then with the sight of an Alicorn pulling it, the town would quickly become alert.

“I mean really,” Luna whispered in frustration, “I know that town is sleepy, but for such an unusual event, it would have to be in a coma...” At the thought, her breath caught in her chest. Mr and Mrs Cake! Were they just admiring the starlit night? Or were they entranced by some spell? But a spell of the magnitude to affect the whole town would require immense power and time to execute, any of the unicorns in town would feel the power and sound an alarm before it finished.

The more she thought about it, the more insane she begun to sound to herself. She knew she needed more information before even calling her guards to investigate. She peered into the telescope once more and watched the door to Sugarcube Corner, waiting for something to happen.

Minutes passed as she watched the steady light emanating inside. Soon three shadows broke the monotony, gathering in the lobby. A moment or so later, one shadow leaves and she could see a light in the upper floor turn on. Soon the light turned off and the shadow rejoined the others, and another moment later the Cakes and the Alicorn walked out. The Cakes each held a child and loaded messenger bags while the Alicorn now donned a gray work apron. They exchanged some words and the Alicorn went back inside. The Cakes talked for a few moments, as they did, their demeanor lightened and they walked off into the night.

Luna sat back again, her senses still tingling, but she noticed that the ring of danger was not there. It wasn’t the entire time she was focused on this small part of Ponyville, but she knew that there was something out of place with this whole situation, and she knew it wouldn’t leave her alone until she found out the truth. She went to her balcony door and called to the head of her guard quietly patrolling inside.

“Princess Luna, is there something wrong?” Rocinante asked, curiosity and concern clear on his voice.

“I hope not, but I need to make sure. Send someone to Ponyville and have them quietly check out the town for the next few nights. Have them send word if anything is unusual or out of the ordinary. I expect at least a preliminary report before next night fall.” With receiving a nod of understanding, she dismissed him and returned to the balcony, awaiting the daybreak while keeping an eye on that small town.

//----------------//

“Okay Starless,” Mr Cake began walking towards the back of the bakery where all of the food production was done, “we have been working very hard these past couple of weeks making treats for the Summer Sun Celebration and orders were crazy this year. The work load was very heavy as we’ve had orders come in from many cities and towns. So, especially over the last few days, a thorough clean-up has been impossible.” As Mr Cake takes them around, the chaos was clear. Every dish, pan and utensil was dirty from food preparation and customer use. Not a single surface was untouched by flour or other food stuffs. The customer area had also taken a beating from the traffic of the day's event. From sun-up to sun-down there were people through-out the town celebrating.

“Unfortunately,” Mr Cake continued, “we have a food safety inspection scheduled in four days and we won't be able to clean-up in time and stay open. Even then we'll cut it close. Mr Weathervane said that you'll be able to gets us ready in time on your own...” Mr Cake asked cautiously, hoping that his friend hadn’t over sold the abilities of this worker.

“It looks like you live here as well,” Starless stated. Mr Cake nodded confirmation and Starless looked around quietly. “I can help a lot, even doing some household work that you may have neglected during the chaos of your work. Over all, it will take me three nights’ work including tonight. As long as you don’t add too much to my load while you're open I can have half done tonight, strictly down here for your food service. Over the next two nights I can do the remainder, including some house work,” Starless stated mater-of-factually, ignoring the stunned look of surprise from the two Cakes.

With a nod of approval, Mr Cake led them into the lobby and Mrs Cake excused herself to gather the children and some items for the next few nights.

Mr Cake turned to Starless, a sudden seriousness shadowing his face. “Although I'm happy that you can do all of this, but I must ask, how can an Earth pony accomplish so much in such a short time?”

“I will be honest with you Mr Cake, just as I was with Mr Weathervane. I'm not sure how I do what I do. As long as its night and I'm given the freedom to work on my own and at my own pace, I can do a great deal in a short time. But I can only do so for a few days before I tire-out, then I need a few days rest before doing it again. Luckily, the trip here did not take a lot of effort so I can start immediately.”

“I understand,” Mr Cake said with kindness seeping into his voice, “we all have our special talents, and it seems like your are beyond description. Mr Weathervane said I'll understand why you don’t have a cutie mark once I met you, now I feel like I do. But about your pay...”

“The amount agreed upon is fine for this workload, and I'll only accept it upon a satisfactory completion of my duties.” As he spoke he took out his gray work apron from his bag and put it on.

Starless spoke with confidence, as if he had never had his services found anything but satisfactory. This brought a smile to Mr Cake's face as Mrs Cake came down the stairs with the children in tow and bags for both of them. He left a key for Starless on the table and quickly took a bag and child from his wife and they proceeded outside.

Mr Cake turned to Starless once they were all outside. “I know its too early to do this, but I wanted to thank you. Just knowing that you are here to help lessen our load is a great relief to the both of us.”

With a cautious nod, Starless replied, “I must thank you for putting your trust in me. But rest assured, your shop is in good hooves. Now, I will let you both get some sleep. Have a pleasant night.” With a curt nod, he slipped back into the shop.

Now alone, Mrs Cake's expression turns to doubt as she begins to worry again. “Carrot, do you think that this is really our best choice?”

Mr Cake looked into his wife's eyes and spoke from his heart, “Honeybun, I know how you feel. Until I had some time to speak with him, I couldn’t help but doubt this young stallion’s intentions. But,” he paused, a wistful smile slowly spreading across his face, “I see potential in him that has yet to be fulfilled. We are lucky to reap the benefits of his personal journey in our time of need.” With that, he steps close to his wife's side, nuzzling into her and feeling her tension melt away and they begin to walk to the Ponyville Hotel.

//----------------//

Shining Armor was in his personal quarters preparing to go to sleep. He was tired from managing the royal guard here while planning the changes he wanted to make with the royal guards in the Crystal Kingdom upon his return. He had spent a long time getting the Crystal Guard ready for their duties while he was here in Canterlot, fulfilling his duties for Princess Celestia. He hated leaving his wife Princess Cadance, but until their rolls in the Crystal Kingdom were finalized or he decided to leave his position as Captain of Celestia's Royal Guard, they had decided that he would alternate between positions until an outcome was decided.

He was putting away the reports from his guards when a stern knock fell upon his door. He was confused at the interruption since he had thought he had made it clear that he shouldn’t be disturbed after his shift since he had a higher workload that he was tending to. Then he realized that there must be an urgent issue if some-pony had thought it necessary to disturb him.

Upon opening the door, he was surprised to see Brigadier Rocinante, the head of the Lunar Guard, in his work armor standing before him.

“I apologize for disturbing you sir, but do you have a moment?” he asked in a level tone.

Shining knew that Rocinante was a pony who was dedicated to his position, whom made him proud to have under his command. They talked rarely outside of their duties, but when they could find the time to socialize together outside of work, they always had a nice time. But with the formal greeting, Shining knew that he had important business to bring to him. “Of course, Rocinante, please come in.”

Rocinante walked just inside the doorway into Shining Armor's living room, leaving him enough room to close the door. Shining guided him near the couch then took a seat while he remained standing. “Sir, I'm here because Princess Luna has requested me to send a guard to Ponyville. Her orders are to check out the town for any unusual activities or occurrences over the next few nights.”

Shining Armor perked up at the unusual orders. Many questions ran though his mind, but he started with the most simple and obvious one, “Princess Celestia has not told me that she felt anything out of the ordinary, does Princess Luna think there is something wrong there?”

“She says she thinks not, but wants to send somepony to make sure. I've come to you for two reasons. The first is the strangeness of the order itself. If it was not anything unusual, I would of put in a request for your review in the morning, but I felt that this would require an immediate notification.

“The other reason is our staffing issues. We still have not recovered our numbers since most of the guard had left under protest for having to protect 'Nightmare Moon'. Although the remaining guards no longer think of Princess Luna that way, the stress of maintaining security with our limited staff prevents me from sending one of our own to investigate. As it stands, we have the local doctors and nurses come weekly during the night shift to check out the guards and keep us in good health. If even one of us gets sick or can't do their duty, it may cause a chain reaction that could severely weaken security.”

Shining Armor leaned back into his couch. He knew that the Lunar Guard was understaffed and recruitment efforts had failed to bring in enough ponies to keep the ranks in top condition. Most ponies still feared Princess Luna and refused to work around her. Members of the day shift would sometimes take a few nights of work to ease their load, but the extra staff that was stationed here are now in the Crystal Kingdom helping to train the new ranks there. It was an oversight that only he was responsible for.

Shining Armor knew his options were limited, both sets of staff were thinned to their max, but he knew that the Lunar Guard was taking the brunt of it. They did get new members every now and then, but even with the lessened stigma of working for Luna, the tough workload and limited rest periods due to the equally limited staff meant that it was difficult to keep recruits. Most of the current Lunar Guard have been on service since Princess Luna had returned almost three years ago, and they have been working long shifts and patrolling huge areas, mostly on alone ever since. Rocinante was right, something needed to be done before things fell apart, but he had a plan.

“Your right on many levels Rocinante, I'll make sure that something happens to get us back on track,” Shining said as he stood and put his hoof on his friend's shoulder. “You don't need to worry, I’ll make sure you have a preliminary report by nightfall tomorrow.”

Rocinante bowed his head slightly, a clear sign of his burden being lifted, “Thank you, Shining. And its good to have you back.” With that, Rocinante showed himself out, needing to return to his duties.

Shining Armor had waited until the door closed and the fall of steps faded before beginning to grab the reports he had set aside earlier and about a weeks worth of blank field reports. He gathered just the essentials and the gifts that he had brought back from the Crystal Kingdom for his sister and her friends. Cross referencing the current time with the train schedule, he knew he had enough time to drop off the reports to his brigadier for the day shift and explain his urgent departure without causing a commotion, then he'd catch the next train to Ponyville. If all played out right, he could sleep on the train there, then start his investigation upon his arrival.

Author's Note

Chapter One. I had finished this in just about a week. I knew the characters I wanted to put in but the format was still in question. After re-reading it I decided to go for chapters that take place from sun-up to sun-down and vise-verse. I working it so that each character's perspective overlaps, with the perspective shifting to the lead of the 'scene'. I'm not sure how effective it it (since I'm used to writing a chapter from only one point of view), but I think for this story, it works. I plan to keep this with in 5 to 6 chapters with a greater focus on the two main characters and the story progresses.

Edit: 06-30-19 - It's been a long time. I've grown a bit and I've been reading more quality work that I kinda learned some things from. This is just an edit to help smooth things out with what I've learned.

Chapter Two - Questions Of Anything

Shadow Of Night
By: AmethystProtector

//------------------------------//

Chapter Two - Questions Of Anything

Luna had spent the night alternating between looking at the stars and looking the Sugarcube Corner storefront. During the first hour she could only see the shadow of the unknown Alicorn moving around inside the bakery's lobby. But the near the start of the second hour she seen the Alicorn start washing the inside of the store's windows. Luna watched as he cleaned with a speed most ponies could hardly imagine, but she was too far away to tell if he was using magic to augment his speed.

She watched as the Alicorn deftly maneuvered outside to clean the outside of the windows, appearing to not even tuck in his wings to do so. Within a few moments he went back inside and his shadow disappeared, leaving Luna to ponder what she had just seen, yet her mind just seemed to refuse the sight as reality.

The night had passed with neither hide-nor-hair of the Alicorn pony, yet the light remained on and the cart still station just outside the shop. She had long forgotten viewing the night sky and just sat focusing her senses towards the town and pondering what she had seen earlier this night. She had even forgotten the passage of time, not even aware of anything but the little bakery and mysterious Alicorn. That is until she heard a pony clear its throat nearby. Luna looked up in startled surprise, only to find her sister Celestia looking down at her with a look of concern.

“Are you alright dear sister?” Celestia asked, concern and a hint of fear tainting her naturally sweet voice.

Luna quickly stood up, running her hoof through her mane in embarrassment. “Yes, of course, everything is fine,” she blurted out. She could tell by Celestia's face that it was an especially unconvincing recovery. Then she really knew that her sister thought something was wrong when she looked over at the telescope that was still pointed towards Ponyville. She was relived when Celestia let the subject drop.

“Shall we start the day my sister?” she asked cautiously.

Luna's heart dropped with those words, for when Celestia spoke them, Luna knew that she was referring to her attempt to bring about eternal night. She had spent over a thousand years exiled to the moon for her actions. Although since her return, Celestia had welcomed her back with open arms, she still was cautious around Luna, especially when she looked sad or lonely. Luna mustered a brave face and said, “Of course, let a new day shine.”

Celestia seemed to relax as they started to change night into day. Once finished, Celestia turns to Luna, “Would you like to join me for breakfast before heading in for the day?”

Luna knew that Celestia normally asked out of courtesy, believing that she would refuse, as she usually did. But tonight her focus had been on the storefront and she had forgotten to eat before her sister had awoken. “Actually...” Luna could see Celestia struggling to hold back a cheer of happiness, “I would enjoy having something to eat with you. But if you can give me a few moments, there is something I need to attend to first.”

Celestia’s excitement was barely contained as she took her sister into a big hug. “I’ll go tell the chef the news and I’ll wait for your arrival.” Celestia broke the hug to look into her sister’s eyes. “We’ll dine overlooking the courtyard to celebrate.” She paused for a moment before trotting into the castle.

Luna sighed in frustration at the genuine happiness her sister showed. She would rather eat alone as she normally did, but she couldn’t bare to disappoint her by turning down her offer then getting a meal to eat alone. She turned back to her telescope in hope of seeing the Alicorn again.

A few moments passed before the Alicorn came out the door to Sugarcube corner. He pristine dark coat and mane were covered in white as he locked the door, but his horn and wings were clean. As he walked to his cart, his exhaustion was clear even from this distance. He got behind the cart’s harness and began moving towards the Everfree Forest, staying in sight of her telescope for only a moment longer before disappearing into the morning’s fog. With her curiosity sated for now, Luna returns the telescope to its storage position before reluctantly heading to meet her sister.

//----------------//

Shining Armor awakens to the sounds and sensation of the train slowing to a stop. The light voice of whom he presumed to be the conductor announced the arrival into Ponyville and noted the time until departure. He had slept soundly during the ride, a testament to the exhaustion he has felt over the last few weeks. He gathered his things and waited for the announcement to depart the train. Soon, he was on the train platform, orienting himself to the new surroundings. He had never been to Ponyville before and was exited to see his sister, but he knew that with the just rising sun his sister would be asleep after another late night studying.

So Shining Armor begins walking to the Ponyville Hotel to freshen up and drop off his things. Upon arrival, he is greeted by a young stallion behind the counter. He appeared to be very tired, obviously not a fan of the overnight shift he’s about to finish. After paying for the room for two nights and taking his key, Shining Armor goes to the second floor and enters his room. He was surprised by how fresh and comfortable the small single room was. There was a small living room with a couch and coffee table. Near the back was a small yet functional kitchen with the bed room branching off of it.

He didn’t have long to stay so he dropped his saddle bags then quickly transferred the gifts he brought into the much lighter messenger bag he brought with him. Going back to the lobby, he makes it in time to see that a young mare is now behind the counter with the stallion, apparently preparing to take over.

“Hello again Captain Armor,” the stallion called to him as he came down the steps. “Is everything alright with your room?” The mare also turned to him, a bit of curiosity in her eyes.

“Yes, I found everything to be excellent,” he said as he approached the counter. “I did wonder however, if there was someplace that might be open this early for breakfast. I haven’t yet eaten since my arrival.”

The mare was the first to speak up, “Of course Captain Armor, I believe that the Sugarcube Corner should be open by now and they always have a wonderful selection of breakfast treats.”

“That is true,” the stallion chimed in, “but I don’t think that they have left yet.” The mare turned to him with earnest confusion on her face. “I did not tell you yet, but the Cakes had checked in last night. As far as I know, they’re still here.”

Shining Armor had not expected to find anything that would arise suspicion so early in his quest. “So, is their stay here unusual?”

“Yes,” the stallion said, “you see, they live above their bakery. When I asked last night, they told me they needed to stay here for the next few nights.”

Shining considered this but thought that starting his first day of investigation with an interrogation might not be wise if he wanted to keep a low profile. “So is there someplace else that might be open?”

“I’m sorry Captain,” the mare began, “but since this is the day after the Summer Sun Celebration, I doubt that the other shops would be open if the Cakes aren’t.”

Shining tapped his hoof on the counter out of frustration. He had neglected getting something to eat last night and he had hoped to get something to eat before diving into the investigation head on. He would have to wake his sister and mooch some breakfast from her under the ruse dropping off the gifts.

“Well, I guess I’ll figure something out,” he said to them before turning to the door. But he stopped halfway when his senses alerted him to sounds coming from the stairway he had comedown from. Perking up his ears and filtering out the distant and distorted sounds. Something about the sounds tugged at his memories as he turned back to the ponies, “The Cakes have children right?”

“Yes, but how did you know?,” the mare asked. Being fresh and alert, she had caught on that Shining did not know about them when he arrived.

“My sister told me a bit about them when she wrote me a while back.” Turning back to the staircase he said, “I think I hear them coming down now.” He moved back to the counter as the two other ponies watched the steps, awaiting the reveal.

Mrs Cake followed her husband out of their hotel room, securing the door behind her. She silently regretted taking the far room on the second floor. They had chosen it because they did not want to disturb the other guests in case Pound or Pumpkin Cake had become noisy, and that was the only room that had no guests beside or below it. But now they had to deal with the drawback of the added distance as they hurried to open the bakery as close to their normal time as possible, seeing as they were already late.

Cup Cake was happy to have had a wonderful and relaxing night’s rest in the quiet and clean suite they had rented, but she could not help but feel they had put their trust in the wrong pony by allowing Starless Night to work for them overnight. But she had decided last night to not bring it up with Carrot again. She felt that no matter what happened, she and Carrot would be able to work something out together.

They made it down the stairs to the lobby floor, having kept the kids mostly quiet. As they approached the door, focused entirely on making it outside quickly until they turned around and stopped upon unexpectedly hearing their names.

“Mr and Mrs Cake?” asked a pure white Unicorn stallion as he approached from the lobby counter. “Hi, I’m Shining Armor, Twilight’s Brother.”

Mrs Cake’s Eyes grew with recognition dawned on her, “Shining Armor! Its a pleasure to finally meet you. We would love to stay and chat, but we really do need to head to the bakery...”

“That’s perfect!” he exclaimed as he moved passed them, holding open the door for them as he replied, “I was just heading there myself.”

She looked at Carrot as he turned to her with his eyebrows raised as if silently asking ‘What did we just get ourselves into?’ She responded with a weak shrug and a meek smile before heading out the door.

The trio walked out onto the road with Shining Armor falling in step behind the Cakes. At first they walked in silence. The unexpected company and the less than perfect start to their morning had a negative effect on the Cakes sociability.

Mrs Cake broke the silence first, not one to make any-pony feel uncomfortable. “So, Shining Armor, what brings you out this way?”

He moved closer to the pair, having fallen a bit behind, distracted by the sights. “I was looking to take a break from the hectic schedule I’ve been on. I thought I could spend some time with Twilight and give her the gift I brought from the Crystal Kingdom. I would of came to see her anyway, but on my way back to the Crystal Kingdom, instead of staying here for a while.”

“So is she going to meet you at the bakery?” Mrs Cake asked, curious as to the connection to the reasons he gave for his visit and his accompaniment to the bakery.

“Breakfast,” he said flatly. “I just got off the train ten minutes or so ago and I have yet to eat. The clerks at the desk said you are the best stop in town and then you just happened to come down just as I was about to leave.”

“Oh,” she responded cautiously. She couldn’t help but feel nervous at the second strange arrival in as many days. But she quickly put aside her fears to keep the conversation going. “So, you’ll be our first customer of the day. Do you know what you’ll have, or...?”

“For me its always coffee and a danish in the morning, but seeing as I’ll be walking a lot today, I’ll be getting something else. Maybe you have a specialty that I might enjoy?”

“We’re here,” Mr Cake interrupted. The trio stood at the door, with the Cakes taking a deep breath before unlocking the door. The tension was clear to Shining Armor, but he kept silent.

The Cakes stepped into the bakery and were surprised by the level of cleanliness given to the lobby area. The tables, floors, walls and glass display cases glistened with incoming sunlight. They felt instantly guilty for doubting Starless’, and by proxy Mr Weathervane’s, trustworthiness.

With a cough from Shining Armor, they kicked back into gear, with Mr Cake taking the children upstairs and Mrs Cake inviting Shining in then heading into the kitchen. Mrs Cake saw that starless had given the kitchen the same level of attention that he gave the lobby. Although it was not yet finished, he did clean a large portion of the things that they would need for the day and moved the unclean items out of the way.

With her preliminary check complete, she began prepping the standard food for the day and Shining armor’s breakfast, content that the bad things she had imagined to happen while they were away had not passed.

//----------------//

Dear Rocinante;

I have enclosed my preliminary report regarding my first day in Ponyville. Needless to say, due to the chaos caused by the recent holiday, any unusual occurrences may have gone unnoticed during or after the event. Many shops did not even open at their regular schedules today.

I was however able to see my sister and her friends while in town and was able to unload the gifts I had brought from the Crystal Kingdom. I will get some things from here for my return as I have found something that you might enjoy. I’ll bring it with me upon completion of this mission.

Also, I think that I may have found a suitable candidate for the Lunar Guard. I have yet to meet this pony, but I have been told many good things about him. I’m to meet him tonight after sunset. I hope that he can be of service to your team so that you may have some down time.

Even if he can or cannot be of use to you, when I return, I shall take a position within your ranks so that the weight your team has supported can be lifted.
I look forward to returning soon,

Shining Armor

Author's Note

Edit: 06-30-19 - Another edit. It does feel good to go through this again. I feel like I've had time to distance myself and read it like I'm reading somepony else's work. I could still use some constructive feedback though.

Chapter Three - Night Falls Gently

Life was slowly awakening in the Everfree Forest as Starless began to awaken with the setting sun. As the sun continued to set, the dangerous creatures that stalked it would soon be on him if stayed here too long. But he loved to see the sun set every evening, knowing that with the arrival of night he would come to life with its magic.

Starless didn’t dwell on this feeling of elation for long, for he has a job to do, and he would not let the sensation turn him away from his duties. So he cleaned up as quickly as possible, but with the same care he had with the clearing he slept in the day before. Night had fallen before he left the forest, but the creatures seemed to understand the respect he showed their land and stayed clear of his path, making his journey to the Sugarcube Corner uneventful.

Sugarcube corner was dark when he arrived, so he unhitched himself from his cart and opened the door, securing it behind him. He went about examining the first floor for an idea as to the amount of work he would have to do this night. He found the Cakes had not over loaded his capacity to clean. As long as they maintained that level of use, he can have the bakery looking like it had never been used by the time his deadline arrived.

He climbed the stairs to the residential portion of the bakery and called out to the Cakes, making sure the entire building was vacated. He would hate to accidentally frighten them if they had forgotten about his arrival. But, to his relief, no pony was home, so he continued his evaluation. He found himself silently praising the Cakes for maintain a relatively clean living quarters. Judging by the level of chaos downstairs, he knew they had spent many late nights preparing their orders.

He went back down stairs and donned a fresh work apron, he would start in the lobby again as he had the previous night, then work upstairs and finally back down in the kitchen. Again he took position in the center of the lobby and began focusing on the job at hoof, but was interrupted by a knock at the door.

Mildly annoyed at the interruption, he walked carefully to the door, opening it just enough to speak to the white stallion waiting there. “I'm sorry sir, but we are closed for the night.”

“Yes, I know, but I'm here to see you,” the stallion replied, leaving Starless time to consider the statement.

Starless pondered the implications of the arrival of this pony. Were the Cakes checking up on him? Did his arrival cause some sort of outrage? He knew that time was of the essence and he needs as much of it as he can muster to complete the job at hoof on time. Starless pulled open the door a bit further and arched his head out, looking up and down the street, searching for anything out of the ordinary, but the street was quiet. “Alright, but I don't have much time, so come in and make it quick,” he said as he moved aside for the pony.

“The Cakes have told me about the work that you do for them,” the stallion began as he walked around the lobby. “They told me that they were quite impressed with the work you have done in such a short time.”

“But what does that have to do with your visit here?”

“I'm the head of the Princess Celestia’s Royal Guard, and I'm here to see if your a suitable candidate for recruitment.”

“Well, don't bother, I work alone,” Starless said as he gestured towards the door, anxious to be rid of the pony and get back to work.

“For the most part, you will be,” the stallion replied as he continued to move around the lobby. “The Lunar Guard prides itself on it on the independence of its staff.”

“I cannot stay in one location for long, not to mention I'll only work at night. Training me will be a waste of your time.”

“Not true,” he walked up to Starless, “I believe that we have a position that only you can fill. I'll be in town for a short time, so if you change your mind look me up.” He reached into his bad and retrieved his business card and handed it to Starless. “My name is Shining Armor and I'll be staying at the Hotel.” With that he showed himself out of the bakery.

Starless looked wordless at the small pieces of paper in his hoof. He had hoped that the Cakes might find him another job, but he had not expected it to happen until he was further along on this job. But time was wasting, so he placed the card in his bag and re-secured the door, then he began to clear his mind for the job at hand.

Princess Luna had a lot on her mind and did not know where to start. Celestia had already left for the night and she had received the report from Rocinante a few minutes ago. She could still feel the sensation that had alerted her to the Alicorn’s presence but she could see the bakery was closed and its lights were out.

She felt so furious at being too powerless to do anything, but she feels equally afraid of the consequences her actions may have. She has but one hope and it lies in Shining Armor’s investigation. Maybe with his report she can take her findings to Celestia with out fear of her sisters doubt.

Luna peered through the telescope again and saw the Alicorn’s cart in front of the bakery and lights on both floors turned on. She watched as another pony walked up to to the bakery door and knocked. She adjusted the focus to the white stallion’s cutie mark and was overjoyed to see it was Shining Armor’s. She has always trusted Celestia’s choice to have Shining Armor be the head of the royal guard, but she has never had need to put her trust in him directly since she has always had Rocinante as her right hoof pony.

Luna watched carefully as Shining Armor spoke to the Alicorn through the barely open door. The Alicorn looked down both sides of the street and ushered Shining Armor in quickly. She might not know what the Alicorn’s intentions might be, but his reaction leads her to think they might not be innocent.

She continues to watch as the Alicorn stands by the door and Shining Armor walks around the lobby. At one point the Alicorn motions towards the door as if to open it, but Shining Armor ignores him as he continues to walk around. Finally, Shining Armor walks up to him and says a few more words before handing him something from his pack. This throws Luna for a loop. What could Shining Armor have possibly given him?

Shining Armor then leaves the bakery, walking down the street leaving the Alicorn looking at the object he was given before walking out of her sight.

Luna sits back and ponders the meaning of what she had just seen. Was the head of the Royal Guard conspiring with a foreign Alicorn? Was this a meeting that was planned from the start? Only moments ago she had been praising the unicorn for finding the Alicorn so quickly, but now she can not help but feel betrayed and frightened over the possibilities. But no matter what the possibilities may be, she knows that this is something she cannot deal with alone, she must talk with Celestia now.

She walked into the palace and saw Rocinante approaching her. “Is there something wrong Princess?”

“I need to speak with Celestia immediately.”

“She should be in her room by now,” he responded, concern rich on his voice.

Luna turn to walk to Celestia’s room and she noticed Rocinante beginning to follow. “I’m sorry Rocinante, but I need to speak with her alone.” Rocinante nodded in understanding. “Wait for me here, I shall return when I have finished.” During her trek to Celestia’s sleeping quarters, Luna ran over what she knew and what she wants Celestia to help with. But she knows that with her past, she will have to approach her with care.

Luna finally reaches Celestia’s room and knocks gently. After a few moments she opens the door with a look of pleasant surprise. “A visit from Luna! To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

“I’m afraid that I come bearing news that may be very bad for all of us, my sister.”

Celestia’s smile drained from her face. She moved aside to allow Luna to enter the room. She escorts her to a small table that Luna remembers they used to share when their relationship was much stronger.

“So whatever has been bothering you has become bad enough that you need seek my council. Lets see what we can do together to resolve whatever this problem may be.”

Luna told Celestia everything that had passed since she first had the inkling that something was wrong. She had provided every detail, no matter how inconsequential it felt to her as Celestia sat quietly pondering the tale. Once Luna finished, Celestia didn’t move. She sat with her chin on her hoof, deep in thought.

Nearly half an hour passed before Celestia spoke. “This is far graver than I had thought when I had first seen you with the telescope pointed away from the sky. But even so, I’m afraid that I’ll be of little hope to you this night. I need to rest and I need more time to ponder a solution or course of action.” Celestia rose from the table and walked to her bedroom door. “I should have something by next nightfall. In the meantime, continue to keep an eye out for the Alicorn, any more information you may glimpse will be a great help. Goodnight Luna.”

“Goodnight sister,” Luna replied before showing herself out. She felt even more concerned now that her sister, an excellent problem solver, was stumped by the situation. But for now she will return to Rocinante and tell him the truth about what has had her so troubled. She would have to hope she could trust him to keep Shining Armor uninformed.

Chapter Four - Small Steps, Long Journey

“Day break.” Starless finds himself once again in the Cakes’ kitchen covered head to hoof in flower and other debris. Just like the night before he had no recollection of the night’s passing. He loves working for the ponies who have need him, but he really missed spending the night enjoying it. He takes a look around the kitchen and was satisfied with the work he had done and moved upstairs to see if he found his work thereto be of the same caliber. He realized that he had done more then he had expected on the upper level, but he also realized that there was a room he had not noticed before. At first glance he thought it was a storage room for the party supplies the Cakes keep for their catering service, but upon closer examination he realized that it was some-pony’s bedroom. “To each their own, I guess.”

Returning to the lobby, he grabbed his bag and retrieved the card Shining Armor had given him. “Shining Armor, Canterlot Castle, Captain of the Royal Guard.” Simple and straight-forward, just like the pony who gave it to him. This was the opportunity that he was just thinking about. As a guard, he would not have to push his mind and body to the limit as he has been just to get the bakery ready for inspection. If he was lucky, he could be in an outdoor position and be paid to enjoy the night. True, there would be drawbacks such as paperwork and being under a chain of command. Since he had left the Crystal Empire all those months ago, he has enjoyed the freedom of being a pony for hire and traveling from town to town.

But like he told Shining Armor, he will be on his way again and won’t be held down to just one town or job. Starless gathered his things and left the bakery, securing the door behind him. He took position at his cart and began heading to the hotel. Although not far, the trip seemed to take ages as the weight of the rising sun took its toll on his body and mind. He will need to meet with Shining quickly so he can return to the Everfree Forest and rest in its shade. Once he arrived, Starless parked his cart near the entrance to the hotel and went into the lobby and walked up to the stallion manning the counter and showed him the card Shining had given him. “I’m here to see Shining Armor.”

The clerk looked over Starless before checking the guest registry. “Captain Armor is in room 203.”

“Thank you,” he said, ignoring the discourteous treatment he was given and proceeded up the stairs to the second floor. Reaching the door marked 203, Starless knocked briskly and awaited a response from inside. It did not take long before he heard hoof-steps approach from the other side of the door and the door opened.

“Good morning, Starless,” Shining Armor began. “It look likes you’ve had a rough night, please come in.” Shining showed him into the small living room and gestured to the couch which he quickly accepted. “I’m guessing you’re here because you’ve reconsidered my offer.”

“Your right, but before I can accept, there are a few things we must discuss.”

“I must admit that when I considered asking you to work with us, I knew I would have to make some compromises to our standard contract. As long as your demands are reasonable, I feel we can work with you,” he said as he grabbed a chair and brought it to face Starless.

“I assure you, Captain, that my requests are simply to ensure my ability to work for you and my overall health.” Starless struggled to get comfortable in his seat, he rarely sat down and he now found it to be a strange sensation. “The first thing is I must sleep out side under the shade of foliage near my cart. This is non-negotiable.”

“A strange request, but one in my power to grant. The guards’ barracks has a large yard behind it, complete with trees and shrubbery of various types. It remains quiet due to its proximity to the sleeping quarters of both the night and day shifts.”

“That is excellent, I’m sure that I can find a place there to suite my needs. The other non-negotiable condition I have is I only work from sun-down to sun-up. It does not matter if it is the shortest night of the year, or the longest. Even staying up to speak with you is taking its toll on my body.”

“That too is alright. That is our standard shift. Although you will need to partake in a weekly meeting with the Lunar Guard, but they are quick and happen during twilight hours. Is that acceptable?”

“As long as it lasts less then an hour after sunrise.” Shining Armor nodded in response. “Then its on to my final condition. I work alone and I’m no-pony’s servant.”

Shining looked grim at this demand. “I will not lie about the conditions you’ll be expected to work in, it will be tough and you’ll be working under a chain of command. While I cannot guarantee that you’ll be treated kindly, you will be given the respect that any member of the guard is given.” Shining leans in as he says, “It is really up to how you view working in a military structure that will determine how you feel about those conditions.”

“I would not of taken any other answer,” Starless said with a grin. “When do you need me to start?”

“As soon as possible.”

“My work with the Cakes will be done by tomorrow morning. You can arrange for transportation as soon as I receive my payment for services rendered.”

“I’ll arrange for you to take the train...”

“You’ll have to make sure that I can be with my cart so I can rest.”

“Not a problem. Just leave your cart outside of the Cakes bakery and I’ll handle everything else.”

“Then I’ll get going now. Good day Captain Armor.” They shook hooves and Starless left. He wouldn’t be able to graze for food as he normally did going from job to job and his supplies were light as it were already, so he’ll stop by the Cakes and arrange a couple of meals for the trip, then he’ll get some rest for the night’s work ahead of him.

Princess Luna was surprised when her sister walked on to her balcony. “Do you have news for me Celestia?”

“Yes, I do, dear sister. I have come to a course of action,” Celestia said with very little enthusiasm.

“You sound as if your not happy with what you are going to suggest.”

“I’m indeed not. Please let us sit.” Luna took her normal seat by her telescope while Celestia sat on a chair she had brought with her. “I am not happy with what must be done because it would mean that I have lost trust in Shining Armor. He has held his position with honor and pride for many years now. So to cast doubt on his work now also cast doubt on his work since he started.”

“You don’t plan on dismissing him from his duties, are you?”

“Not as yet. I’m going to have Twilight Sparkle take over the investigation for now. I’ll tell her to act as if she is just helping until she has had time to investigate Shining Armor.”

“Do yo think it is wise to have her investigate her own brother?”

“We have trusted her in far more dangerous and important tasks than this. It will not be for long either. I will have her tell him to return by day’s end, so he should be on his way back by tomorrow morning. “Celestia stood and looked into the distance before continuing. “I hope that upon his return, we can determine if our doubts are valid. For now, lets start the day.”

Shining Armor watched the streets come alive as he looked out of his hotel window. Nearly an hour had passed since he spoke with starless and he was still basking in the sense of relief that he felt knowing that one problem was now crossed off his list. So he was surprised by a knock at the door, he was not expecting any-pony else today.

He opened the door and found his sister, Twilight Sparkle, looking at him. “Well, good morning sis, come on in.”

“Good morning Shining,” she said as she passed by him and took a seat on his couch.

Pulling up a seat to face her, Shining asks, “So whats up, Twilight? I was not expecting to see you today.”

“I received a letter from Princess Celestia this morning asking me to help you with your investigation. It seems that Luna has decided to tell her why you were sent here.”

“That’s great news! I was hoping that I wouldn’t be going this whole time aski9ng ‘Have you noticed anything strange recently’” Twilight smiled weakly. “But obviously the new piece of information must be dire if Celestia thought it would be best to bring you on board the investigation..”

“Maybe not dire, but important none the less. Celestia wrote that Luna says she has seen an Alicorn in Ponyville.”

“Wow, that is news.” Shining stood and started pacing around the room. “How are we to ask questions around town about an Alicorn and hope to maintain a low profile? As it is, it seems like no-pony has seen anything out of the ordinary, and I’m sure an Alicorn in town would count as unusual at the very least.”

“Well, Luna thinks there might be magic masking his presence from every-pony, that’s why I’ve been asked to help. But we also cant overlook the possibility of a conspiracy.”

Shining Armor froze in his tracks at the words. “A conspiracy? This is far graver than I thought. I am at a loss Twilight. What action would the princess suggest?”

“We go through town and while you ask questions, I’ll use my magic to determine if magic was used on them to alter their memories or perceptions. We’ll have to rely on your skills and instinct to see if they are lying.”

Shining thought about this and knew that it was their best option. “OK, Twilight, lets get started.”

Starless awoke more hungry then usual. The late day he spent with Shining Armor must have taken more out of him then he had thought. He rummaged through his cart and grabbed enough food for two ponies and ate rapidly, anxious to get going. This being his last night working for the Cakes, he wanted to put as much time and effort as he could muster to make their shop shine.

He finished eating and quickly packed his things, leaving the Everfree forest before the sun had finished setting. Having finished so quickly, he entered Ponyville as its residents and shop keepers were still out and about, drawing some curious stairs as he passed. The stairs were nothing unusual, it was only after he spent a bit of time in a town and ponies began asking questions about him did things become troublesome. He hoped that his new position with the royal guard would prevent such issues from arising.

Starless arrived at Sugarcube Corner and found the lights still on in the lobby. After parking his cart, he peered inside and saw a pink Earth pony sitting at a table. Once he opened the door, the pony bounced up to him with tons of energy, more then he ever seen in even the most up-beat ponies.

“Hi there! You must be Starless. I’m Pinkie Pie. Welcome to Ponyville!” she said rapidly in a cheery tone. “I like your name, Starless, it suits you. Why don’t you have a cutie mark?” she asked as she bounced around him, once he stepped through the doorway. “Oops, Mrs Cake told me not to ask that. She told me ‘Your only allowed to thank him and don’t bother him’” she said imitating Mrs Cake’s voice. “So I wanted to thank you for cleaning my room last night. You made it so much easier to find all of my party things! I was going to throw you a party but Mrs Cake said you wanted to work, not play.”

She stopped speaking and moving so suddenly that the silence was deafening. It took him a moment to realize that she was leaving him room to reply. “Um, your welcome?” he said, unsure of what to say after being caught off guard by her exuberance.

It was so wonderful to have you here and I’m sorry to see you go so soon. But I really want to throw you a party, so next time your in town let me know and I’ll throw you a real doozy! But I have to go, I’m staying with my friend Twilight while you work, I’m sure you’d like her, but she’s expecting me and I don’t want her to worry. Have a nice night, Starless!” And with that she bounced out the door.

Starless stood motionless for a moment, trying to process the encounter. But finding no rhyme or reason for it, he simply logged it as another strange thing to add to his list of strange things he has encountered on he journeys. So he secured the door and found the food the Cakes had left for him on the counter, still warm from the oven. He made a mental note to thank them in the morning and then he put the food in his bag.

He worked until sun up and found himself dirty again. So he washed up in the sink and looked over his work. Everything from the smallest utensil to the biggest pot was squeaky clean. Every shelf and cabinet was cleaned meticulously. Even the living quarters had received the same quality of care. So he waited for the Cakes to return, which didn’t take long.

“We love the job you did,” Mr Cake exclaimed after examining the store. “We’re really happy you came into our lives when you did.” He went behind the counter and removed a bag and placed it in-front of Starless. “Your worth every bit and more.”

“Thank you,” he said. “It was a pleasure to help you. And thank you for the treats, even though I won’t eat them until tonight, I appreciate that you left it for me fresh.” They said their goodbyes and Starless went outside to his cart, climbed in and fell asleep quickly.

Shining Armor had spent the day working alongside his sister Twilight and found himself wondering if she would be willing to join the ranks of the royal guard, but quickly found that he was worried about her safety. Equestria was relatively safe and quiet, but when something went down it tended to be very serious. He knew his worries were illogical since she done very dangerous deeds at the request of her mentor Princess Celestia, but he would not want to be the one giving her the orders that might put her at risk.

But for tonight, he need not worry. Since Princess Celestia saw fit to relive him of his duties on the investigation and leave Twilight in charge, requesting his return for a debriefing. The train to Canterlot had already left for the evening so he made preparations for Starless and himself for the next train in the morning. He pondered the reasons why he was removed from the case while he packed. He could only think that Princess Celestia had lost faith in him for not finding the Alicorn hiding in Ponyville when he was searching on his own, or or with the aid of his sister's magic. He felt horrible that something so big had snuck by. True, he didn’t have all the information he had now, but the fact that he couldn’t come by it on his own only served to prove his failure in every ponies eyes. So once he finished packing his gear and presents he laid down to sleep, thoughts of his failure still running around his mind.

When Shining Armor awoke in the morning, the feeling of failure that haunted him through the night were foremost in his mind. His only consolation was the fact he had Starless coming with him to Canterlot today. He quickly gathered his things and headed to Sugarcube Corner.

When he arrived, the Cakes had already opened and Starless' cart was still outside the bakery, so he hitched himself in and pulled the cart to the train station. He left the cart with the cargo handling ponies and went to the passenger section of the train. He stayed quiet during the ride, politely turning town conversations with other passengers in order to sort out his thoughts and try to dig himself out of the mess his failure had gotten him into. But the day had come quickly to its end and soon he was back in Canterlot.

He got off of the train and went to the cargo section to retrieve the cart and began walking to the barracks. His heart was racing as he reached the barracks, for soon he would have to see Princess Celestia and answer for his failure.

“So this is the exciting barracks you've told me so much about.” Shining jumped at the voice. He looked up at the cart and saw Starless leaning on the side, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes yet still looking very tired. “You want me to take over?”

“Just sit tight, we're almost there,” Shining answered.

Once they arrived, Starless jumped down and said, “Let me find a place to park this, then I'll follow you.” Shining nodded as he ducked out of the harness and moved to let Starless in. In a few moments Starless returned, “I found a sweet spot not too far from the building.”

Shining motioned for him to follow and lead them to Princess Celestia's meeting hall, where he was expected. He wanted to take Starless directly to Rocinante, but he knew that he was usually with Princess Luna higher up in the castle and he did not want to leave Celestia waiting. So upon their arrival, he left Starless with the guards outside Celestia's court.

Princess Luna sat with her sister Celestia in the royal court, awaiting the arrival of Shining Armor. She had hardly slept because of her anticipation. All she could think about was the Alicorn and what it would mean to have another of her kind around. Although she felt that this Alicorn was a bad omen, she still couldn’t help but feel wishful at having some-pony similar to herself around, maybe one who understood her better than her sister.

But she knew the possibilities of a pleasant relationship with this Alicorn was remote. It was up to her to protect the ponies of Equestria and she would not allow her hope for a companion to put them in danger.

She was interrupted from her thoughts by a guard entering the hall. “Princess Celestia, Princess Luna,” he acknowledged them in turn, “Sir Shining Armor has arrived.”

“Please send him in,” said Celestia.

The guard left and a moment later Shining walked in carrying some bags. He walked up to the base of the stairs leading up to the dais where they sat and greeted them. “Princess Celestia, Princess Luna.”

“Shining Armor,” Celestia began, “you have been called here today to answer questions related to your investigation of an Alicorn sighting in Ponyville. Firstly, what made you decide to take charge of the investigation?”

Shining answered without hesitation. “I needed a break from my normal duties. I saw it as an opportunity to spend some time doing light legwork, asking questions and to spend some time with family.”

Celestia responded, “Did you ever slack on your investigation in order to get the rest that you felt you needed?”

“No. I put my all into it. Just because I felt that it was simple doesn’t mean that I felt it was any less important.”

Luna got upset by that statement and said, “So you didn’t go to meet the Alicorn?” Celestia looked at her with great displeasure.

“No. I had not known about the Alicorn until my sister Twilight had joined in the investigation.”

Now Luna stood, shaking with anger. “then why did I see you not only speaking with the Alicorn, but handing him something as well?”

Celestia positioned herself between them and shouted at Luna, “Calm yourself, Luna!” She turned to Shining and in a calmer voice asked, “Did you speak with the Alicorn or give him anything?” She silently cast a truth finding spell on him, regretting having to do so on the head of her guard.

“With exception to yourselves and my wife, I have not encountered, spoken to or given anything to another Alicorn,” Shining said, evoking as much pride and honor as he could muster.

Celestia nodded approvingly and moved to Luna, putting her hoof on her shoulder until she sat back down, then sat again herself. “So tell us how your investigation had gone while working on your own,” she requested while keeping her spell active.

“The investigation had started when I arrived in Ponyville when I had arrived in Ponyville. I had asked hotel staff where I could get a bite to eat in town, I found out that the owners of the shop they recommended were staying in the same hotel. This was unusual since they live in their bakery.”

Celestia interrupted to ask, “Who are these bakers?”

“Mr and Mrs Cake, owners of Sugarcube Corner.” Celestia only nodded so Shining continued. “I found out from them while I was having breakfast that they had hired on a pony to help clean the bakery at night, so they could keep the store open during the day. I heard similar stories from other shopkeepers, although the others were not so lucky to find a pony to work at night, so they hired on staff for the day.

“When I spoke to the towns folk regarding anything they might of found unusual, I asked them questions best suited to each, in addition to their general feelings. So I asked Pegasus ponies if the weather was odd, Unicorns if they felt strange magic and shopkeepers if they had strange customers or witnessed odd behavior. Every pony had told me that the Summer Sun Celebration had gone quite well and there were no problems or odd occurrences.”

“Tell me more about the pony working for the Cakes,” Luna asked.

“He is a pleasant Earth pony who travels from town to town, working for ponies who need help. He only works at night but he comes with references from ponies he has worked for in the past.”

“So,” Celestia said with doubt creeping into her voice, “that would mean that you met with him at night.”

“Yes, at the bakery.”

“Princess Luna had seen you talk to the Alicorn at the bakery at night. We need to know why,” Celestia demanded.

Shining's chest tightened at the accusation. “I did not meet with any Alicorn there and I can prove it.”

Starless sat outside the doors to what he assumed was the royal court. If he had known that Shining Armor would leave him waiting for so long, he would of brought one of the many trinkets he had in his cart and spent the time trying to decipher it's mysteries. But for now he could only look at the paintings that lined the hallway walls, namely the one he now sat across. He stared at the landscape painting as if all of his life's mysteries were imprinted on its surface.

The doors opened and Starless stood, expecting it to be Shining Armor, but it was another guard. “Princess Celestia wants to see you,” she said sternly. Starless followed her through the doors.

When he walked through, a beautiful dark purple Alicorn stood and gasped before jumping down from the dais and running through a side door. “Wow,” he thought, “that’s a new record. Just being seen now blows my chances with the ladies.” So he stood next to Shining and bowed to the remaining Alicorn.

“Starless Night, did you meet with Shining Armor a couple of nights ago at Sugarcube Corner?” Celestia asked with demanding force.

“Yes I did, Princess. He had offered me a position with the Lunar Guard. At the time I turned him down, but as you can see, I later changed my mind.”

“Did he give you anything that night?”

“Yes, his business card. I brought it with me, but I left it in my cart at the barracks.”

Celestia seemed pleased by his answers. “At any point, was there an Alicorn with or around you?”

“No, there was only Shining Armor and myself.”

At that moment, the main doors to the hall burst open. Shining and Starless turned to see Princess Luna enter, followed by several Lunar Guards.

Celestia stood in defiance and shouted, “What is the meaning of this Luna?”

Luna ignored her sister and turned to Shining. “Did you really have the nerves to bring the Alicorn to the castle and think nothing would happen?”

Shining and Starless looked at each other and Shining said, “What Alicorn?”

“Yes sister, what Alicorn?” Celestia again demanded.

With an exaggerated sigh, Luna pointed her hoof at Starless. “Him!” she cried out with disgust.

The guards looked at each other in confusion. They were not sure if Luna was crazy or saw something they couldn’t.

Celestia walked up to Luna and in a calm, even tone, said, “We'll talk about this later.” She turned to Shining, and added, “Take Starless and start his training.”

Shining and Starless bowed in unison and wordlessly walked past Celestia, Luna and the guards, heading to the armory.