A dark lunar Pegasus stepped through the door leading into the officer quarters. He flipped on the light to illuminate the place where all the officers of the Lunar Guard spent their spare time. He had gotten off earlier and decided to rest early tonight, he headed to his personal stateroom that he called home. The bat winged Pegasus hung his head and pulled off his helmet with great relief, causing the Lunar Cloak to fall away. The dark grey of every guard darkened into pure black. Bat wings remained, being a physical part of him ever since passing boot camp. It allowed him to train and get used to them, which wouldn't have been a problem except they had different physical attributes. They were wider, allowing for a higher wing to weight ratio and they had stronger bones but a more fragile membrane then normal wings.
Blue grey hair lightened to silver from the roots to the ends. He shook his head to tussle it after being stuck under the metal all day. His eerie green eyes also lightened to a sharp silver.
He unstrapped the razor sharp metal that followed the stiff wing bones, jointed at the wing joints and needle tips for pin point stabbing. He folded them up and slid them under the bed. All around armored bracers were unclasped and followed them under the bed. His dagger unhooked from the armor at his chest and laced underneath his pillow.
He threw his helmet with deadeye accuracy to have it stay mounted on his bed post. The Pegasus began to feel various muscles throughout his body seize up. Stretching out his forelegs he arched his back as if he was part feline. Rump lifted into the air as his back legs raised.
"Yaaaaggghhh!!" he yawned loudly. He stretched out each hind leg individually, each one shaking with relived tension.
Silver metal clad hooves worked the plated armor off his neck. He hung it on the heavy duty manikin, one of the privileges of being an officer. His heavy chest plate was next, loosening the straps it almost slipped from his hooves but a quick fumbling leap kept it from hitting the ground. The metal plate covering his mid flanks and rump took a little more time as his tired hooves had a hard time reaching.
It came, eventually and it revealed the triple moon that was his cutie mark. Crescent moon with it's back to a full moon. Then on the opposite side was another crescent with it's back to the full moon as well. It was a pure white, a complete offset of the pure black pelt.
Lining his armored horse shoe with military precision by the manikin, he then laid himself out on the bed to get some much needed sleep.
His bat wing stretched out to turn off the light but a harsh white glow enveloped the switch, preventing him from flipping it.
An equally harsh white unicorn head stuck his head into the stateroom.
"Come on! Let's go!" the head was quickly retracted from the room as the heavy eight inch dagger flashed into existence in a opposing wall after going through a trajectory that would have had his head impaled.
"Dafuq, man?" the startled unicorn stallion inquired from the safe side of the door. He peeked around the corner.
A outstretched hoof pointed at the door was brought back in and slid back into it's previous state of resting under the pillow.
"I don't know if you saw my new regime of training, but it now includes one on one sparring with a FERSMIGADIN' GRIFFON WEAPON'S MASTER!!!" he loudly mumbled into his pillow.
"Oh, right. I guess you're a little tired?"
"And sore, bruised, injured, and who knows what else, so go away!"
"Dude, you need to get out more. Without the moaning and groaning. I think a mare would do you good," more of the white unicorn started to appear around the corner.
"And why should I do that?" his head hadn't even moved from the pillow although his body had to move to present his back to the unicorn.
"Well, Winter Rescue and I are going out tonight and you are invited to join us," he had gotten closer to the bed and was thinking about poking the unmoving mass.
"Again, why should I?"
"Alright mister grumpy rump, Winter Rescue is bringing a friend. Of the mare flavor."
"So? I need to sleep and recoup my energy," the black pegasus curled into a tighter ball with the blanket tight around him. His eyes opened briefly to look at the poster on his wall. In wasn't uncommon for officers to have posters of their rulers on their walls for professional reasons, but his was there for more personal reasons.
"Come on, man! Ever since you took that arrow you've been all 'Oh, gotta train harder!' 'Gotta train till I drop dead' 'Gotta make sure nothing happens to our princess! Seriously, you need to lighten up a little and relax," the white unicorn huffed.
The black Pegasus gazed at the poster again. Yes, he was right. Although he didn't know how right he was.
"Alright, fine. What's this chick's name?" the black Pegasus slid off the bed and stood, stretching out again.
"Her name's Starry Night and apparently, she's an astronomer."
"Fine, what ever. Where is this little shin dig taking place?" he threw on a dark grey hoodie to try and offset the pure black while also hiding the very conspicuous bat wings. He threw his wallet, glasses, and wing touch phone into a single saddle bag that strapped around him to keep the bag tight against his right side.
"Me and Winter were thinking about dinner and a movie, how's that sound?"
He rolled up his sleeves and cinched on bracers lighter and smaller then his usual ones that only covered half way around his forelegs, "Sounds good."
"Do you go anywhere without a weapon?" asked Cryoshell.
Nyt Ryder reached under his pillow and retracted the sheath from underneath. He walked out the door while buckling it on underneath the hoodie, "No, and neither should you." As he walked out of the officers quarters, he reached up and yanked the dagger out of the wall from where he had thrown it.
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"Are you sure he'll come?" the worried dark blue mare asked her friend.
"Well, knowing Cryo and his silver tongue they may already be ready and waiting," Winter Rescue tried to calm down her jittery friend.
"Point, what if he doesn't like me?" the tall mare now began pacing her tower room, trying to micromanage everything about tonight.
"Gah! Women, from what Cryo's told me, he thinks of nothing but you! Plus, he did, um...
catch
that arrow for you!" the gentle white unicorn levitated a pillow to hurtle it at the powerful figure.
The pillow landed with a satisfying thump and the mare frowned at the feathers that fluffed from it, "But that was for me and he's not going to know it's me!"
"Doesn't matter! The feelings are still there. Now get ready! We need to leave soon!" hurriedly said the white nurse.
"Fine, fine," the dark blue pony stood stock still as a purple fire traced itself off of her horn. The eerie fire began at the tip of her horn and slowly wrapped it's way down her body until her entire frame was covered in roiling purple flames.
The flames shrunk in on themselves before slowly unwrapping like they had come. Dark blue pelt had lightened slightly to a twilight time hue. Blue mane and tail were replaced with a dark purple, remembrance of the night sky. Her cutie mark transformed into a easily recognizable constellation. Horn was rendered into a different plane and she decided to forgo the wings as well, making her a simple earth pony.
"Whew, always a thrill," the now smaller mare began reaching for an object on the dresser but lost her sure footing and stumbled into it.
"Oh my goddess, are you okay?" Winter Rescue rushed over to her and tried to inspect her.
"Yes, I'm fine. I just should have practiced a little in this form before tonight," the mare stood back up and then froze.
"Oh crap! What if I embarrass myself like that tonight!" the mare's eyes darted frantically around the room as if looking for an escape route.
"Relax! You'll be fine," Winter tried to soothe the panicky mare. "Here, put the rest on so we can meet them and see there's nothing to be afraid of."
The blue mare carefully picked up the object she'd tried to reach earlier. Putting on the petit oval glasses the mare did a little check to make sure. She then reached for her final piece, a precious bit of jewelry that had stuck with her since forever. A simple black collar cinched itself primly around her neck right in front of her withers; it flowed to set the centerpiece comfortably on her chest. Elegantly carved flowing designs were etched in it. The centerpiece was a pure jet crystal, perfectly cut and set firmly in the metal with a silver inlay to frame it.
"Oh my goodness, you look so damn good! He would be a fool to not take you," assured Winter.
"You really think so," this was confirmed by a nod.
"Ok, L-- sorry, Starry Night, care to spend this night with me Cryoshell and a hopefully enterprising stallion?"
"You betcha," Starry Night led the way out of the lavish quarters as they set off to find the waiting stallions.
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"So where are they?" asked Nyt as he and Cryoshell waited outside on the royal grounds of the palace.
Cryo focused his magic towards a hoof held up and carefully released it. An arctic white band flowed forth and flowed into the familiar shape of a hoof ball.
"Dunno, go long," Nyt shirked his hoodie and took off away from Cryoshell, but not to far to stop communication. The white unicorn pumped his foreleg, sending the ice ball flying towards his brother in arms.
Nyt landed and made a cradle with his bat wings to catch the fragile lump of ice. He quickly shifted it out of the going numb wings and launched it back to Cryo.
"So...
This chick, Starry Night, never heard of her," Nyt watched as Cryo effortlessly caught the ice ball.
"Oh, so you think this is a blind date on both sides? Masterminded by me and Winter?" Cryo jumped into the air before propelling the ball back.
Nyt saw the ball going way overhead and launched airborne to cradle it in his forelegs, "Yeah, that thought may have passed through my mind."
"Dude, the metal objects that you insist taking everywhere are very obvious without a hoodie on," Cryo smirked as Nyt remembered the attached weapons to his pony.
"Teleport my hoodie over to me?" asked Nyt nicely. With a flash, the hoodie appeared on Nyt, rendering him inconspicuous again.
Nyt flung the ball back as Cryo spoke, "And no, Starry Night knows you, but only from seeing at a distance."
"Really? When? It's kind've my job to notice ponies being a little too interested in something," Cryo grinned as he threw the ball back.
"Oh, you may have had a little trouble seeing anything while getting your ass kicked by a Griffon," Cryoshell jumped to his right and went prone as the ice lump was fired back and shattered on the ground.
"Seriously! The one time a mare takes any notice in me and it's when I'm getting my rump handed to me," Nyt sat down onto the grass and put his head in his hooves.
Cryoshell trotted over, "Hey, be glad she's not one of those freaky dominant types who enjoy that. No, from what Winter told me, Starry Night liked the way you got back up. Even after flying maybe twenty feet to hit the palace walls."
Cryoshell offered a hoof towards Nyt, "Really? Cause I can continue being too stubborn for my own good," Nyt grabbed the proffered hoof and hauled himself up on it.
"Well that or she liked the hot and sweaty you with only half armor on, showing off your bod," the white unicorn ducked under a hoof swung a his head.
"Hey! Only trying to provide support here!"
"Hey Cryo! I though I told you to leave support to the mares!" Winter rescue descended down the stairs of the main entrance to Canterlot castle.
"Winter!" Cryo galloped forward and charged into Winter Rescue. Both were sent up by the force onto their hind legs and Cryo twirled the nurse around. "Where's your friend?"
The gentle white unicorn looked behind herself before saying, "Hmm, good question. Starry! Come on out!"
Out from behind the grand doors came a timid blue earth pony mare, she came quietly down the stairs, giving Nyt plenty of time to appraise her body. She was beautiful, to say the least. At least to him, and she seems to be wearing little to no make-up, a natural beauty. Her body swayed in a way that would torment a stallion's mind, her nicely curved body more then helping the image.
And Starry Night seemed completely oblivious to the effect she could have on stallions. Gentle silver eyes hid behind a small pair of spectacles, her short almost punky, purple hair hanging a few locks over her forehead while the rest was brushed behind an ear that looked as if it had seen pencils and quills stuck behind it many times. Nyt caught himself staring at her rump although he quickly covered himself and tried to convince himself he had been looking at her cutie mark.
"So," began Winter as Nyt wouldn't stop looking at Starry and the mare looked back from under her mane, "Would you guys like to get going?"
"Uh, yeah, sure. Starry?" Nyt asked the mare as she smiled.
"Yes, please," Nyt turned towards the far off palace gate and presented his side for her. Starry took the offer and leaned slightly against him.
Nyt looked over and saw Winter practically attached to Cryo's side and looking at the dark pair approvingly.
"Good, let's get going then," Cryoshell and Winter led the way while Nyt and Starry brought up the rear.
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