Liquid Pride

Shining Armor trotted into the Royal Guard barracks, passing by the office of the Commander.

"Morning sir," he said as he passed.

"Yeah, yeah," he responded waving him off with his hoof, clearly engrossed in whatever paperwork was on his desk. Shining continued on, greeting the new Lieutenant fresh from officer school. Lt. Sea Cay was a Pegasus pony from the coast. He tried showing Shining how to surf a couple of times. Shining thought it would be easy to pick up since it should translate easily from his skateboarding skills of his youth, but after nearly drowning a couple times, Shining put that little dream behind him.

As the ranking officer, Captain Shining was able to enjoy the term Louey or Lou for his Lieutenants that he himself once had to accept. Sure, he could end the cycle of title belittling. But he didn't see any reason why his subordinates should have it any easier than he did. So the cycle continued.

"Morning Lou, what's the word?" Shining said as the two walked together.

"Well sir, there are a few going-ons on the agenda." He said, passing the list to the Captain. Shining read them as the Lt. read the list aloud. "The Princess is entertaining some dignitaries from Griffonia. There are still efforts going on integrating her sister into the command structure. There are reports of more native unrest from the Appaloosa settlement. A few other odds and ends." He prattled on. Shining flipped to the second page.

"What's this?" He pointed at an entry low on the second page near the end of the list. "Ponyville moving detail?"

"Um, oh, the Princess has requested a few bodies to pack up and ship one of her 'Gifted Unicorn' student's personal effects to be shipped to Ponyville. I'll send a detachment over later to handle that task." He said flatly. Shining waved a hoof at him.

"Don't bother, I'll handle it," Shining said. The Lieutenant froze in place as though Shining suggested treason.

"Sir, with respect, this is a menial tasking. Grunt work! I was just going to send a couple of privates to-"

"And I said. I'll handle it. Lieutenant." Shining turned and looked at him sternly. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"Not at all sir." The Lieutenant shied away. "Handle it as you see fit."

"I intend to."
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The Captain walked through the halls of Celestia's school. Fillies and colts stepped aside as he passed. Some bowed or curtsied. There was no rule requiring civilians to show such deference to any Royal Guardspony. But he wasn't about to ruin it now. Besides, he had neither the time or the inclination to educate everypony individually.

He exited the far side of the building, cutting through the campus courtyard. A few fillies smiled and waved before turning and giggling in their little packs. No, not pack. What was the term for a pack of girls now? A Clique? Shining was silently grateful he was no longer in school. He always felt that the term 'pack' was plenty appropriate. He had seen fillies just as predatory and vicious as any wolf he had encountered in the wilds of Equestria. Twilight's dorm room was a two story studio loft perched atop the school library spire. He trotted up the exterior stairs and opened the door.

He immediately regretted his decision to tackle this task alone.

A cursory scan of the dwelling revealed little in the way of personal affects. His sister was nothing if not pragmatic. But the truly daunting task was the shelves upon shelves of books. It would be hard enough to locate his quarry, enchanted as it surely was. An enchantment the powerful unicorn had no doubt improved upon in the intervening years. But hidden in a private library, it was like looking for a needle in a stack of needles.

Outside the window, the sun slowly crept higher in the east. It was still early. There was time. But he would still need to work quickly. And carefully. Her perception filter enchantment would be assaulting his psyche to ignore her diary. If he moved too quickly, he'd look right at it and not even see it.

He made short work of gathering the rest of her personal items into moving boxes by the door, her scrolls, parchments, and quills. He emptied the drawers of the few outfits she owned. Simple skirts and blouses, plain dresses. He cleared out her shelf of knickknacks, including her silly doll.

As soon as everything else was sorted, he focused on his primary mission. There were hundreds- no, thousands of books in the room. Somewhere, hidden among them in this room was her diary. And within it, answers to so many of his lingering questions. He focused on his memory of the diary. How could he ever forget? He took care to memorize the details of it. The specific color, size, and dimensions. The texture of the binding and the particular way the edges were worn in such distinct ways. The weight of it in his hooves. He kept that mental image sharp in his mind even after all these years.

Aisle by aisle, row by row, shelf by shelf, he inspected each book closely. He kept his sensory magic on high alert for any trace of enchantments, veils or shimmers. The whole room was a miasma of latent magic, both from the magic tomes themselves and the leftover energies of a unicorn that stayed in and practiced magic a bit more than was healthy.

Celestia's sun continued its procession across the sky. Shining ignored the rumbling in his stomach as he went over the final shelf. Again. He had thoroughly swept the entire room thrice. His head was positively throbbing from magical exertion. He collapsed onto her reading couch, causing a pair of her reading glasses to fall from the arm. Shining picked them up off the floor and put them on, mocking his sister.

"The sum of the squares of two sides of an isosceles triangle is equal to the square root of the remaining side." He recited in his best nerd voice. He went to take them off when he caught a glimmer in the corner of the frames. He took them off to get a better look but the glimmer vanished. He put the glasses back on and moved closer.

On the end of one of the shelves, there was a yellowish, ethereal glow. It was an extra shelf, revealed only by wearing the reading glasses. He reached out with his hoof to grab at the hidden book. It passed clear through its translucent image. He focused a bit harder on the magical entity and grasped the spectral book in his hoof from the empty air. He looked down as the diary took on corporeal form in his hoof.

Time had changed it little since he had last held it. It was positively brimming with magic keeping it preserved and restored. There was no magical lock or warding on the covers. Apparently, Twilight was confident enough in her means of keeping it hidden that she needn't bother with locking and unlocking it each time.

Shining set the book down on the end table. He backed away for a moment to catch his breath. He hadn't realized he was hyperventilating. His pulse was bounding, thundering in his ears. His hooves were sweaty with anxiety. He did a quick circuit of the room, trying to shake off the nervous energy.

Slowly, carefully, he took up her diary once more. He opened it and skimmed to where he had left off, years ago.

But still, just the memory of rubbing against his erection this morning... it makes me feel, good. Really good. Like, I get the feeling of butterflies in my tummy, and I feel all... warm and fuzzy inside. It also make me feel all googly between my legs too.

I just realized I'm leaving today. I'm not going to be sleeping in the same room as him anymore. And it really hurts. I mean, I had been expecting to feel a little sad when I left my family. But now that this morning has happened, I just feel... I don't know, closer? I know it wasn't sex, but I feel like we shared something special, even if he doesn't know about it. And now that I have to leave, it hurts more now.

Anyway, I'll use the enchantment I learned to make you unnoticeable while I'm at school. See you soon!

Shining felt his excitement grow as he reread the page detailing the events of that memorable morning they slept in the same bed. But even though the events were by her design, his feelings were still marred with equal parts shame. It didn't help matters that he was actively going out of his way to snoop into her privacy. He hesitated for a moment as to whether or not he should proceed.

For a moment at least.

And the fact that he seriously considered not doing it, made him feel a bit better about doing it anyway. He turned the page. The next entry wasn't until several days later.

Dear Diary,

The challenges of a new school and home have been, well, challenging. I settled into my dorm loft easily enough. Unpacking was made easy by whomever organized the boxes. I was afraid when I remembered that you were among my books, but it seems you were packed unnoticed.

The class schedule is demanding and the workload is considerable. It is nothing I can't handle but... Reading my previous entry has brought to focus a recurring problem. Ever since -that night- there hasn't been a day gone by that I haven't thought about it. There hasn't been a night gone by that I haven't dreamed about him. I miss him so much, so much more so than my home and parents.

I awaken in the middle of the night, and I am reminded that I am alone in my room, that I don't have him in a bed next to mine. I find myself clutching my pillow seeking his embrace. And I realized that what I wanted was the intimacy, the closeness I felt in that moment, to share something so personal.

But until I get a chance to see him again, I need to try to keep my thoughts of him from my mind. I find myself thinking about him when I don't mean to, during studying and lessons. I need to focus on studying magic, free from distractions. Including you, diary.

Shining felt the knot in his stomach loosen somewhat. So he wasn't the only one of them to have gotten hung up on that night. He flipped ahead. There was plenty more writing. He was relieved to see that she hadn't given up on the diary entirely either. He went back to the next page. The date was several weeks later.

Dear Diary,

My continued studies in the realm of magic proceed well. Well enough, anyway. My -fixation- on Him continues to be a distraction. I think the time has come for me to discuss my distracting problem with my mentor, Princess Celestia...

Shining felt his stomach drop, and his heart lurch into his throat. Twilight talked about her incestuous fixation on her brother with THE Princess Celestia? His boss!?

... leaving out certain specific details of the distraction.

Shining felt the air get sucked back into his lungs as he breathed the biggest sigh of relief since Cadence's last negative pregnancy test. At least Twilight was bright enough to keep the details of her problem vague. But he couldn't hazard to guess what it was that the Princess would do for her, if anything.

"Dear Diary,

I have a major decision to make. I have confessed to Princess Celestia that I have been distracted by my obsession with a certain stallion. I didn't give His name, and she didn't ask. But I explained that as much as I enjoyed the thought of Him in-that way, I would prefer to keep my mind unoccupied while I'm trying to learn. She seemed to understand. She has offered me a spell to make me forget about that aspect of that pony. And I am conflicted as to whether or not to accept it.

I love Him. I love Him more than I know I should. And I know we can never be together the way I want to. In the end, perhaps it would just be for the better if we I went back to feeling for Him like I am supposed to.

Shining Armor turned to the last page of text.

Dear Diary,

This will be my final entry. I have decided to accept Princess Celestia's spell to block my romantic feelings for Him. Maybe some things are best left forgotten. But for the spell to hold, I will have to cut off any reminders of those feelings, including you. Princess Celestia suggested that I destroy you, but I can't bring myself to do it. Instead, I will hide you, and have her make me forget about you as well. But I promise I'll start a new diary, with my new life, free of- distractions.

And that was it. There was no further text. No more answers or explanations. If she indeed had a new diary, she had taken it with her to Ponyville. If it was here, in the library, it was beyond his power of finding it. Shining pushed the notebook back into the enchanted shelf space. Its physical form dissolved back into the ether of the shimmer. Shining took the glasses from the bridge of his nose, looking at them introspectively. The Pegassistance moving company pulled up to the building and began loading the boxes into the truck.

Maybe she was right.

Maybe some things are best left forgotten.

He dropped the glasses to the floor, crushing them under his hoof.

He looked up at the doorway. A tall figure stood at the entrance. She looked different in the daylight. Her mane lacked the ethereal luster of the stars and moonlight that normally filled it.

"Fair Captain," Luna greeted, "We... we owe thee an apology. When we first met on the day of our return, we- we were not in our right mind." She trailed off. "It has taken us some time to find the courage to face thee after our taking advantage of thine feelings." She looked back to his eyes, "It was wrong of us to manipulate you by taking the form of thy marefriend. And we are sorry."

Shining's shock of being discovered gave way to inquiry and almost pity.

"First of all, she's- she's not my marefriend. And secondly... how did you even find me here?" he asked.

"We sought thee at thine barracks, whereupon thine subordinates did inform us that thee would be at this location." She moved about the room, inspecting the packed boxes. "Dost thou not perform manual labor for thine love's affection?"

"She's not my marefriend," he said.

"So thou hast already informed us. But why then, dost thou then act as though she is?" she asked, inquisitively.

"It's- it's complicated," he mumbled.

She put a hoof on his shoulder. " 'Tis always."

He turned to speak. But when he looked to her, she was gone, and he was alone once more.
___________________________________________________________________________

Months fell off the calendar. Each week, Shining hoped for Twilight to return to Canterlot. Each assignment for a posting in Ponyville he applied for, denied. Until at last, a break. A major threat to national security came across his desk. He read the report. He read it again, just to be sure he wasn't dreaming. It was terrible. It was wonderful. It was perfect!

Shining circumvented the ensign courier, electing to personally deliver the report to Her Highness. It was still early. Celestia's Day Court would not begin for at least another hour. Until then, she would be in her personal study 'preparing for battle' as she liked to say.

Shining skidded to a halt outside her door. Her two personal guards saluted the Captain. Her secretary, however, barely deigned to notice his arrival, her brown eyes barely lifting to look at him over the thick, black, hipster rims of her glasses. She was a white furred earth pony with a dark brown mane trussed up in a large bun. Her cutie mark, a quill and ink well. And she exercised her special talent with extreme prejudice as her hoof and quill hastily scrawled ink across her current parchment. Her red handkerchief tie bobbed along with her punctuated motion.

"Good morning, Ms. Hay Bailin. " Shining greeted.

"Captain." She responded curtly, never breaking pace as she moved on to the next page of her work.

"I have an urgent report to deliver to the Princess!" Shining said in all seriousness.

"Her Highness is unavailable." She said, completely dismissing him.

"It is a matter of national security!" he said, with emphasis.

"Her Highness is unavailable." She repeated. Her tone identical. Shining was taken aback somewhat.

Did she even hear me? Wait- did I just get- form responded in person? Clearly this called for drastic measures. Shining levitated a small pouch from his bag. Suspending it in front of her. Her quill immediately froze in place. She looked up at him, and glanced at the guards. Their gaze looked away from the scene. Once you got to the level of being Celestia's personal guards, you knew when 'not to see things.'

"Is that what I think it is?" She asked. He simply nodded, tossing the pouch on her desk. She stared at the pouch for a moment. "I'm not saying I'm accepting this. I'm just uncomfortable with it being on my desk." She said, pulling open her drawer and dropping it inside. She closed the drawer and cleared her throat. "Ahem, the Princess will see you now."

Shining passed by the guards, closing the door behind him. No sooner was the door closed than she poured the pouch into her hooves. She grinned wildly, her eyes wide. These would make an excellent addition to her Pog collection.
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Shining trotted hastily toward the Princess at her personal desk. She was sporting her red reading glasses that were at least four decades out of fashion. But she insisted that she was going to 'bring the look back.'

"Ah, Captain Armor! It is fortunate that you are here!" She said at his arrival. Shining took a quick knee.

"Why is that, Your Highness?" He asked.

"I need your help with a matter of grave importance." She said. Shining lit up. Perhaps she was already aware of the news he had planned to deliver. And she had already planned to select him as her champion for the cause. "I need your help rewording this tax hike proposal so the citizens don't try to stage a revolution again."

"How about... a 'temporary refund adjustment'?" He suggested. She repeated it to herself silently a couple times and wrote it down.

"Yes. That will do nicely. Thank you Captain." She said before continuing to write on. She glanced up again after a moment. "Oh, forgive me, was there something else?"

"There is nothing to forgive, Your Majesty. I bring you a report a great importance regarding the security of Ponyville, nay all of Equestria!" He said, trying his best to sell the drama. "I've received a report from our Pegasus division that a dragon has taken up sleeping residence in the Smokey Mountain cave. And his snoring is creating a smoke cloud that is spreading over all of Equestria. Therefore, I volunteer myself to lead an extermination squad to Ponyville to eliminate the threat."

Celestia considered his proposed plan. At least, she tried to appear to consider it before immediately rejecting it. "No."

"But, but Your Highness! I already have a team in mind, ready and assembled to depart! We were very successful in our last dragon-removal mission at Pony's Peak! There was so much dragon blood that we just slid down the mountain like a water slide."

"No."

"Princess please, I beg you! Something must be done!" He pleaded.

"I quite agree Captain. But given the current tensions with Draconia, we don't need any more 'accidental' deaths of foreign dignitaries while they are trying to have a snack."

"That dragon was attacking sovereign Equestrian territory! We did what we had to do to save civilian lives!" Shining said, standing firm.

"Captain, perhaps with time you will gain the wisdom to understand that sacrifice is oft required for the greater good." She said sternly, laying her glasses on her desk. "But perhaps..." She took out a fresh parchment and began writing a letter. "perhaps there is another way."

"If I could be privy to Your Majesty's master plan..." Shining said, trying not to growl.

"I am enlisting the help of your sister, Twilight. I am informing her the smoke that she is sure to have seen by now is not coming from a fire, but a dragon. That it is because he is sleeping, and that his snoring is what is causing all the smoke." She continued writing. "I am tasking her to seek out the help of her new friends in Ponyville to encourage him to nap somewhere else."

"Your Majesty, with respect- it is my professional opinion that your plan seems... incredibly unlikely to succeed. Please consider my plan."

"Consider it considered, Captain. But you would do well to place more faith in the abilities of your sibling..." The Princess said, casting the letter out her window in a wisp of green smoke. "...and her friends." She returned to her writing. He remained standing there. She glanced at him once more. "Now, unless there is anything else to report, you are dismissed Captain." She said, shooing him away with her hoof. Shining bit his tongue, and rendered a proper salute before making an about-face to the exit.
________________________________________________________________________

"And then, and then she just blew me off like I was a no-pony! ME! With all my experience dealing with dragons! And she flips me for some two-bit scheme with Twilight! She could get killed!" Shining vented on Cadence's sofa. Cadence was trying her best to be sympathetic to his plight. But she was buried with work of her own in her South Castle Wing office.

"Shiny, I'm sure she won't let anything bad happen to Twilight. She cares about her at least as much as you do." She said, cradling his head in her lap. "Besides, you don't get to be as old as her without having a plan. And she always has a plan, Shiny... That pony doesn't take a dump without a plan." She said.

Shining stared at the ceiling for a moment at that one. He couldn't even imagine Celestia having to deal with such mundane mortal issues such as bowel movements. But he definitely could see her having a plan for it if that were the case. For everything. For every little detail of every day. Like some kind of... puppet master. Like a mythic Gorgon. The face of a siren, the body of a snake. He looked out the window at all the stone pony statues in her garden. He shuddered.

"Besides Shining," she continued, "I have to deal with the preparations for Celestia's 'unofficial casual visit' to Ponyville next week."

"There's nothing casual about a visit from royalty." Shining muttered. "But- but she will need a security detail to accompany her!"

"Which will be seen to by the enlisted guard ponies. I don't see why you're so hung up on this, Shiny." Cadence reasoned.

Shining Armor barely heard her. He was already formulating a plan to get himself on that security detail. He had already used up his leave for the last Summer Sun Celebration. He had to get to Ponyville to see Her. Somehow.
__________________________________________________________________________

"But sir, only four Pegasus guards for a trip to a whole other town?" Shining pleaded.

"Yes, Captain. That is all that is required." His Commander answered. "They are four of our best. Besides, do not underestimate your Princess. She is a force to be reckoned with in her own right. She will be just fine on her..." He dug through his paperwork on his desk, "unofficial, casual visit to Ponyville. And she will not require your personal assistance. This is not some diplomatic mission to a hostile nation. It's a public relations tea party." He said rolling his eyes.

"Yes sir. I- I understand." Shining said with resignation, rendering his salute and exiting the office. Shining closed the door behind him, taking a breath in the hallway. A worried looking ensign came rushing past him with a scroll. He hurried after him. He recognized him as Ensign Camisa Roja, an earth pony from southwest Equestria, who he had sworn in at his cadet school graduation no more than two weeks ago.

"Hey! Where are you going in such a hurry?" Shining said, keeping pace beside him.

"I have an urgent message for the Princess from Fillydelphia!" Said Camisa Roja.

"I'll deliver it!" Shining said, seeking another opportunity to speak with the Princess.

"Sorry, I was told to deliver it directly to-" he said looking at him. "Oh, sorry Captain, I didn't see that it was you. But this must get to the Princess right away!"

"And I'll see to it." Shining said, taking the scroll from him as a marathon baton. He hadn't the time to read the contents. It seemed too urgent. The Princess was just about to depart for her 'unofficial casual visit' to Ponyville. He quickened his pace. He reached her throne room doors in record time, bursting through.

"News from Fillydelphia, Your Highness." Shining said, presenting the scroll. Celestia took the scroll from him, reading it.

"Hmm, unfortunately, my visit to Ponyville is going to have to wait for another time. I'm afraid an emergency has come up in Fillydelphia. Apparently there's been some sort of infestation. A swarm of incredibly bothersome creatures has invaded the poor town. I'm just sorry to have put the citizens of Ponyville through so much trouble over nothing."

"If it would please Your Highness, I could deliver the message to Ponyville of your absence myself." Shining offered, hoping for a chance to see Twilight.

"That will not be necessary Captain. Ponyville is on the way to Fillydelphia. I can at least do them the honor of telling them of the situation myself." Celestia told him. She turned on her hooves to go out to her waiting chariot. Shining could only watch as another opportunity to see his sister slipped through his hooves. He may not have aced Equestrian geography in school, but he was most definitely sure that Ponyville was NOT on the way to Fillydelphia.
_______________________________________________________________________

Time and again he watched opportunities to visit Ponyville pass him by. It didn't help that the Princess had become more reckless in her personal excursions. It was no secret that she did not enjoy having her secret service ponies following her everywhere. She made it an irritating habit to vanish from the castle for hours at a time, sending everypony into a panic. Especially after the Nightmare Moon incident.

One particular incident came that autumn. Celestia just reappeared in the castle after having been gone for some time. Her only explanation? "Fall is one of my favorite seasons, so I went to Ponyville to celebrate the Running of the Leaves." Shining tried to plead with the Princess, explaining about accountability, and procedures and protocols. Celestia just chuckled at the notion. She knew all too well that she needn't answer to anypony. At least when she went to judge the Best Young Fliers competition, she elected to be accompanied by a pair of her Pegasus escorts.

They accompanied her again when she visited Ponyville with her pet phoenix. As much as Shining had petitioned to be a part of her non-cloud-walking excursion, he likewise couldn't blame her for her choice. Twin brothers, Sword Wing and Shield Wing were among the most professional of her guard elite. There were few in the Corps that took their jobs as seriously as they. Even in basic training, the drill sergeants could never make them crack under pressure. They were the epitome of stoic, holding the line wherever it was drawn, be it the hostile borders of Draconia, or a pastry shop entrance.

In retrospect though, Shining Armor serving on that particular tour to Ponyville would have served him little. The Mayor of Ponyville requested an audience with the Princess, and it ended up being a massive search party for the guards upon her bird going missing.

He had all but given up hope. That is, until he heard the news. Twilight would indeed be attending the Grand Galloping Gala in just a few weeks, as per Cadence's suggestion. And Shining Armor had been selected to be in charge of guard detail for the event! This would be his chance to see her again at long last. It was going to be the best night ever!
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Celestia made her final preparations for the evening, affixing her golden shoes to her hooves. She looked at herself in her mirror. Flawless, as always. A flicker of motion behind her in the mirror caught her attention. She turned to see her sister, Luna, watching from just outside her chamber doors.

"Are you sure you will not join us this evening, Luna? The Ponies of Canterlot would be honored by your presence." Celestia spoke kindly.

"No thank you, sister. You enjoy your 'gala' this evening. As it was before, we shall guard the night." Luna said in a serious tone.

"As you wish, Luna. But please, feel free to join me at any time." Celestia offered. Luna simply nodded and made her way to her tower to oversee the world nocturne.

Downstairs in the lobby, a white unicorn stallion was frantically trying to pull together the last minute details of the evening.

"Status!" He demanded of his line of lieutenants.

"Chefs are standing by, h'orderves at the ready Captain!" one sounded off.

"Security checks in. All entries and exits secured. Nopony is getting in or out without our knowing about it sir!" said the second.

"What of the status of the Elements?" he asked of his Pegasus scouter.

"Sir, They shall be arriving momentarily from Ponyville!" he said, wings rigid at his sides.

"Excellent!" Shining answered, before briefing the group of Royal Guards at large. "Gentlecolts, this night is what we've trained for. The Grand Galloping Gala is the one night of the year with the most ponies in the castle at any one time. Therefore, it is also the highest security risk night! Make no mistake, Equestria has many enemies to the throne, both foreign and domestic. I want everypony on high alert! Keep your eyes peeled and your assholes puckered until the very last civilian exits the premises! You understand?"

"YES SIR!" The formation said in unison.

"Get to it!" Shining said authoritatively, dismissing the squad.

Shining didn't mince words. Everything he said was true. Throughout history, more attempts had been made on the Princess's life on the night of the Gala than any other. Both for the publicity of the timing of the event, as well as such an auspicious location. Especially with the increased accessibility of the castle to the public that night.

Shining passed by the front entrance. The main doors would be opening in less than four minutes. A noise began to rise outside. A chanting. Dozens of ponies in unison. This was all he needed right now, an un-permitted impromptu protest!

"Spotter! Sound off! What is it? A protest? A riot? A revolt?" Shining called up to the tower lookout.

"Sir, it's- I think it's a musical number," he answered.

Shining strained his ears at the door, listening. 'At the Gala. At the Gala!' he heard the crowd singing.

"Okay, that's... strange I guess. But harmless." Shining breathed a sigh of relief. The grand castle clock chimed the hour. The Wonderbolts screamed overhead in their flyby. Fireworks announced to the city that the event had begun. The drawbridge lowered dramatically. The great gates opened as guests began to slowly filter inside. Shining peered through the crowd at the group of six mare walking line abreast, his sister, Twilight among them. She was but a moment away.

"I can't believe she's finally here!" Shining whispered to himself "With all that I've imagined, the reality of this night is sure to make this the best night ever!"

He felt a hoof on his shoulder. "Sir, we're having issues with the garden animals pestering the guest area!"

Shining looked back over his shoulder. He was seconds away from embracing his sister after so long.

Service before self

He heard the core values of the Royal Guard echoing from his memories of boot camp. He could come back and see Twilie later. It was going to be a long night. There would be time.

"Sir?"

"I'm on my way." Shining said, turning to head toward the Princess's garden.

"Oh what the hell is this!" Shining burst out. Critters of all kinds were trying to sneak into the dining hall.

"Sir, I think they're looking for treats or table scraps. The Princess has gotten them a bit too accustomed to ponies. We can't keep them away." One of the guards tried to explain.

"Oh, for the love of- Get back to your post. I'll handle this." Shining called forth his magic will, summoning an animal repellent spell. It spread out over the garden grounds, causing the animals to scatter. "There, that should keep them from approaching anypony for at least twelve hours."

"Captain Armor?"

Shining turned at the calling of his name.

"Would you care to join me for a quick- hmm hmm, tryst in the hedge maze?"

Shining huffed in annoyance. "For the last time Blueblood, my barn door doesn't swing that way."

"Hmm, come on now Cap. Don't knock it until you try it." Blueblood teased.

"I don't think I need to try having a dick up my ass to know I'm not gonna like it." Shining sneered.

"Ugh, such crude language. I still don't understand what it is that I see in you. Oh, that's right, I see me in you. Hah ha ha." Blueblood chuckled.

"Egh, now who's being crude?" Shining retorted. He turned to quickly head back to the lobby. There was still time for him to greet Twilight in the entrance queue before he lost her to the crowd. He cut through the dining hall as a shortcut. The muical band had already finished warming up and began playing their first number as the first few ponies began to trickle in.

"AHHH!!!" A blood curdling scream came from the kitchen. The last thing Shining needed was an injured chef or some other kitchen catastrophe. He ran in through the double doors fearing a pool of blood beneath a cut cook. "Murderer!" She cried out, kneeling over the corpse on the floor. Shining skidded around the corner to find Cadence huddled over the the burnt husk of... a cooking pan?

"She killed my Spinach Lasagna!" Mulia Mile cried out, pointing a hoof accusingly at Cadence. "I prepared that dish for hours and you- you assassinated it!"

"What is going on here!?" Shining demanded. Cadence looked up from the charred remains in the pan.

"Shini- Captain Armor, I was just trying to help in the kitchen and, well, there was a bit of an accident with the oven."

"It was no accident!" Mulia spat, "She is trying to sabotage my hard work!"

"No, it was an accident! Honest! I- I just thought that the temperature settings on the oven were in Imperial... but it was in Centigrade." Cadence said mournfully. Shining did some quick conversions in his head. A lasagna at 350 in Imperial converted to 350 Centigrade would be... Shining looked at the metal pan. It looked as though it were made of wax, warped and deformed from the heat. Its contents were no more than a charred cinder.

"Cadence- I mean, Princess Cadenza, why are you even in the kitchen? Shouldn't you be with Princess Celestia greeting guests?" Shining asked.

"Ugh, heavens no! I can't stand all that formal meet and greet charade. Besides, I love to cook. This is my place, with my cook ponies." Cadence said, motioning to the room around her.

"Your place is on the moon!" Mulia yelled from across the counter.

"I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS CENTIGRADE, MULIA! COME OFF IT!" Cadence roared back "Besides, you can't talk to me like that! I'm still a royal Princess!" She said. Mulia stomped across the tile floor and brought her face right up to Cadence.

"A Princess you may be, but in this kitchen, I'M THE QUEEN!" Mulia growled, shoving a mixing bowl into her pink hooves. "Now if you insist on staying in here you will do what I say, when I say. So finish whipping that custard. And Celestia have mercy on your soul if you burn that too!"

Shining recalled an expression about not being able to take the heat in the kitchen and quietly backed out, silently praying that the kitchen's fire suppression system was in good working order.

Shining walked back into the ballroom, cutting back to the lobby. The pink one was bouncing around on the floor like a gas molecule singing to herself in a matching, bouncing rhythm.

"...I'm at the Grand Galloping Gala. I'm at the Grand Galloping Gala. I'm at the Grand Galloping Gala! It's all I've ever dreamed!..."

"Captain!" One of the guards called out.

"Oh no, what now?" Shining moaned.

"Captain, the Princess has requested your presence in her quarters at once!" He said.

"The Pri- but she's supposed to be greeting the guests! What's wrong!?" Shining began to panic.

"She didn't say, only that it was urgent that you get to her chamber right away!"

Shining galloped past him, making a bee line to Celestia's quarters as fast as his hooves would carry him. Whatever was wrong, he needed it fixed immediately, if not sooner. He soon arrived at her door. Her guards were suspiciously absent. True, all the guards had been reassigned for Gala details, but her personal guards were to attend her wherever she went, no exceptions. He knocked on the door. There came no answer. He pushed the door open and stepped inside to ensure everything was okay.

It was not.

Celestia was nowhere to be seen.

But the room was not unoccupied.

There upon the bed, she lay. Twilight Sparkle. Shining had hoped for this very moment for so long, to see her again. He had rehearsed what he had hoped to say to her so many times. But here she was, and he was lost. All that remained was his sense of duty to the night. It was not the greeting either of them intended.

"Wha- What are you doing here? Where is the Princess? I was summoned to see her here!" Shining asked aggressively.

"I may have told the guard a teeny tiny fib about that." Twilight said with a grin. "She's still downstairs greeting guests."

"Okay, fine. But we shouldn't be in here then!" Shining said sternly.

"Oh, come on. Live a little. Haven't you ever wanted to take a crazy risk?" She said patting the mattress. "I've always fantasized about being naughty in here." She smirked.

"Naughty by just being in here," he said, hoping to expedite their departure.

"No," she purred, "I mean getting naughty in here." She gave him a seductive glance.

"Twilie we- we really shouldn't do- er, be in here." Shining found it increasingly harder to speak, much less protest her indecent proposal.

"Come on Shiny, when are we going to get another chance to do this?" She said, parting her legs slightly.

"I- we- ah uh..." Shining had not expected this eventuality to the night at all. Every contingency in his mind had completely ruled out anything even remotely close to this as impossible. Had he really been so blind to his sister's plans this whole time?

He decided that the only possibility was that he had never escaped that kitchen. It burned to the ground and he was killed in the blaze. He was now dead and this was his heaven. Yes. He concluded that he must now be dead. He decided that it was the only explanation.

He then, also immediately decided that he no longer cared.

"Hmm," Twilight moaned, "It sounds like your mouth can't decide. But your... ahem, seems to like the idea." Her grin widened as she pointed between his legs.

Sure enough Little Shiny had chosen that moment to make his grand entrance. Shining's legs moved out from under him, bringing him over to the edge of the bed. She patted the mattress again, encouraging him to join her. He hopped up and sat on the bed. The opposite end of the bed from where she was. It was an exceptionally large bed, and there was a great deal of space between them.

He could sit on the bed with his sister and still be a good pony. She was over there, flashing her goods at him. He tried not to look. He tried at least. He was still a good pony. He had an erection, sitting on the bed with his sister. But he was over here, and she was over there. He could still be a good-

She crawled across the bed and pushed him onto his back. He had neither the state of mind or will to resist. He found himself laying on a feather-soft duvet staring up at Celestia's vaulted ceiling. His vision quickly became filled with purple as Twilight's face hovered over his.

"Well, well, well. Look at you." She said in a playful tone. "Laying on Celestia's bed with your..." She placed her soft hoof on his staff. Shining sucked a sudden gasp of air at the contact. "...stallionhood out where anypony could see it." Twilight took the opportunity to surprise him further, kissing his shocked lips.

He could not comprehend the sensations. She was kissing him. Her warm lips on his. He felt her velvety tongue graze across his parted lips, the tips of his teeth, beckoning him to join her. His tongue met hers and they danced around each other. All the while, her hoof slowly and methodically began to stroke up and down his shaft. He moaned into her mouth. It was all so much.

Her mouth sucked on his as she slipped away slowly. She pulled on his lower lip, gently nibbling it with her teeth, before releasing it with a wet pop. She let her cheek rest on his chest before slowly sliding down his frame. She tilted her head so that her horn brushed along his fur as she slid her cheek further south. It didn't take her long to arrive at her destination.

She lifted her head off his chest, and instead let it rest on the base of his rod. For a moment she didn't move. She just looked up and down his length with her eyes, simply admiring it. Shining could only lay there, enjoying the soft fur of her cheek on his sensitive flesh, the warmth of her every breath upon him. Slowly, she turned to lay her mouth on the side of his shaft. She wrapped her lips as wide as she could around the side of his cock, licking it as she worked her way sideways along his member, ever closer to his tip.

Shining braced himself for her to take him into her mouth. But she stopped at the last instant and worked her way down the other side of him, ensuring to get his entire length wet with her saliva. Her mouth was literally watering for his cock. Her desire was palpable. She made a second pass up his veiny surface. Her soft hoof cradled his heavy balls, rolling them gently in her warm hoof, massaging them. Shining lost all focus under her hoof's tender ministrations.

Which was why he was all the more caught off guard when she took him into her mouth.

Once his eyes stopped rolling into the back of his head, Shining was treated to a wonderful sight. He watched as his flared tip vanished into his sister's mouth, along with several inches of his shaft. She opened her mouth wide, wrapping her lips tightly around him as she began to bob her head up and down in a methodical rhythm. Her tongue lapped at his sensitive head and ridge, spurring him on, but only to just before the point of losing control.

Each time she felt him getting close, tensing up, she stopped, and changed her approach, shifting his plateau of pleasure in a new direction. The suspense was terrible. He hoped it'd last. He reached down to run his hoof through her violet mane, running it down along her spine. He grabbed a hold of her flank and gave it a playful squeeze.

She made a sort of 'yelp' noise, but with a mouth full of cock, it was little more than a high pitched hum. The vibration of her outburst only served to stimulate him further. She regained her pace and resumed sucking him off with renewed vigor. Shining reached a bit lower, pulling her tail aside with a generous tug. "HMMMmmm!" Twilight moaned onto him again, giving him goosebumps. Twilight felt his balls churning in her hooves, generating what was sure to be a massive load for her soon.

Shining reached under her tail with his hoof and began to slowly rub along her wet slit. But he could only idly pleasure her, as he was completely enraptured with her performance fellating him. Each time she lowered her head along his cock, more of him entered her mouth.

But nonetheless, he was having an effect on her. Her labored breathing became more ragged as she struggled to get precious oxygen through her nose with each withdrawal. Shining felt a familiar sensation build in his loins. He was nearing the point of no return. He loved Twilight after all. She deserved at least a courtesy warning.

"Twilie- I'm, I'm gonna-"

Before he could even get another word out, Twilight took a deep breath and lurched forward. Shining felt himself careen over the edge as she took his entire length into her mouth. He could only watch in awe as his flared head pulsed and bulged in her throat. Her strong muscles swallowed continuously as he exploded rope after rope of cum into her. He could feel her nose being pushed against his balls as she held herself in place. She held her breath, swallowing every drop until he finally finished after what felt like an eternity.

Shining felt himself slip from her mouth with an audible 'pop'. He propped himself up on his elbows, looking over at her as she recovered, catching her breath. After a moment, a strange look came across her face, as though she were suddenly queasy.

"BURRRAP!" Came the loudest and most unladylike belch he had ever heard from a mare. Nay, even most all of his stallion friends would have been hard pressed to best the magnitude of that burp. "Excuse me," she said with an embarrassed smile.

"A sure sign of a good meal, eh?" Shining said, trying to break the tension. He laid back down, closing his eyes. He still needed another moment to recover. He felt her hoof on him again, stroking him. He didn't think he had it in him, but the excitement of the situation brought him back to full mast in a hurry. Twilight crawled on top of him and began grinding her sex along his rigid length. She was clearly enjoying his textured skin against her sensitive nub. She lifted herself a bit and reached down to bring his tip to her entrance.

"Wait, Twilight! We- We can't! We can't do that!" Shining said with his last ounce of reason.

"Why?" she asked. "You keep saying that. But why not?" She pouted.

"You KNOW why!" he said. She leaned in close to him. She subtly continued to align herself with his swollen member, pressing her folds against his rod, parting them slightly.

"I want you to tell me why. Say the words." Twilight whispered seductively, as she continued to press back against him. It wouldn't be long now. It wouldn't take but another small push and his incestuous head would be inside her hot, wet, forbidden tunnel.

"B- because! Y- you're my... MY SISTER!" Shining cried, nearly on the verge of tears.

Twilight's horrified eyes suddenly went as wide as dinner plates. In an instant, she leaped off her brother and the bed, bolting for the door. Shining had barely any time to react before she had vanished around the corner, long gone by the time he got to his hooves.

Her sudden absence became his instant sobriety. A million thing buzzed through his mind at once. Twilight. The Gala. Celestia's bed! He hastily smoothed out her bed covers. It seemed that Twilight had taken great care to avoid leaving any kind of mess. A close inspection found only the most minute drop of... sweat most likely. It had no identifiable odor, and that was good enough for him. Once he was sure that everything was as it should be, he hastily removed himself from Celestia's personal chambers.

His brief stint as a housekeeper had afforded him an opportunity to suppress his previously obvious arousal. Which he was silently grateful for as he sprinted through the halls back to the Gala ballroom. He passed by an ornate clock, showing an hour until midnight. How long had he been up there? He wondered. He felt the floor rumble and shake. Several loud bangs and booming crashed came from just up ahead.

"Oh, oh no no no! What now!?" He prayed as he skidded to a halt just outside the ballroom. The statue of Celestia was in pieces on the floor. The classical stone pillars around the room were toppled and smashed. Dust and disoriented guests were everywhere. The Gala was a complete disaster in his absence! He spotted Twilight on the far side of the room standing beside Celestia in the other entrance.

"Well, it can't get any worse," he muttered.

The gate to the garden burst open. The animals he had worked so hard to keep out of the hall came pouring in as a massive stampede. A yellow pegasus loomed in the entrance menacingly.

"You're going to LOVE ME!"

A small voice in his mind whispered a single word of sense.

Run

He looked up to see that Twilight, her friends and the Princess had already taken the initiative and fled the room. He fought the urge to go after her. He had so much he needed to ask her, so much to talk about. But he was head of security, and the castle was under assault. She would have to wait.

Again.
___________________________________________________________________

It was a long night of regaining control and cleaning the castle. The animals were rounded up and returned to the garden. Emergency staff were called in to augment the restoration efforts. After the animals had overrun the ballroom, they laid siege to the kitchen. Cadence had managed to escape and return to her home in the Palisades. But rescuers later found poor Mulia huddled in a corner, cradling a sole surviving plate of Pommes Souffle, murmuring to herself surrounded by culinary carnage.

"...the horror... the horror..."

Shining's eyes felt like cotton balls covered in saw dust by the time the sun came up over the horizon. Celestia looked no worse for the night, walking inside from her solar duty. Shining approached her, trying his best to not look as bad as he felt. He took a quick bow before addressing her.

"Your Highness, if I might have a moment of you time?" he asked.

"Of course Captain. How goes the recovery efforts?" She asked.

"We're just finishing up as we speak. But I was wondering, you saw Twilight just before the evacuation. When she returned to you, did something seem off about her? Did she say anything?"

"Returned to me? Captain, she never left my side the entire evening." Celestia said.