In the past a group of pegasi was discovered by Princess Luna. Long before she let herself to fall to madness that sealed herself into the moon. The bat pegasi were her own personal guard called the Vanguard of the Moon, they followed their princess without question. During her uprising her guard took up arms against their day walking brethren but when all was said and done their lady was sealed into the moon and they were banished from Princess Celestia's lands until their Princess would return. The years turned to decades and then to centuries. The bat like pegasi lived life as well as they could. Sleeping during the day and going about their nightly activities as the day walkers had done in the day. Then after years of hoping and praying to their long lost Princess she came again to them in twilight.
Landing at the center of the town that had been hewn from the mountain itself the city was magnificent to behold. Towers of the city square, homes, shops, blacksmiths, restaurants. Luna remembered it was smaller when she had last laid eyes on it but now is was the size of three ponyvilles she had to guess. Princess Luna landed drawing collected gasps and other ponies who quickly began kneeling at her hooves.
"Behold children of the night we have returned…" he voice boomed. One pony walked forward and bowing to his princess he looked up to her.
"Your Highness. I am Mayor Midnight, It has been so long… what is your command?" he asked amazed, he had now conceded to her authority. Luna looked down at Mayor Midnight.
"We are here to say that we are gathering my guard once again and I will restore the name of the bat pegasi. I wish you to form a roster of applicants." She said then looked around at her kneeling subjects.
"Rise my subjects." She ordered and everypony stood not believing that their beloved Princess had finally returned and more to that she was reforming the Guard. Then a single black and grey speckled Stallion stood up from the crowd.
"I will be in your guard Your Highness." He declared. Luna looked to him and her eyebrow raised.
"State your name stallion." She ordered. He looked to his left where a dark brown mare smiled and nodded to him. Gathering his strength he stepped forward.
"I am Night Vale. Your highness." He said bowing respectfully to her.
"We shall see Night Vale. I hope to see you in the ranks." She said stepping toward him.
Smiling the dark brown mare looked down at the small filly whose blue cat slit eyes looked up at her and smiled.
"That was the day daddy became the Captain of the Vanguard of the moon." Her small voice said smiling.
"Yes it was a most joyous night then and now your father is very busy with dealing with the night guards." She chuckled explaining.
"Can you tell me again? Of when Princess Luna came back to us and made dad Capitan of the guard." She asked again. Her mother sighed shaking her head.
"Now is not the time Night shade." She said nuzzling her foul lovingly.
"Now is time for sleep." She said walking to the bedroom door beginning to close it.
"Good day." She smiled closing the door leaving her filly to sleep. Walking down the stone stairs she went to the kitchen and began to clean the dishes that was made from dinner when the door opened and Night Vale walked in wearing his armor he sighed closing the door. He smiled to her which she returned in kind. He removed his helmet and walked to her kissing her cheek.
"How was your night love?" she asked smiling, the butterflies in her chest had never left from every time he walked back through the door.
"Oh dear… it has been such a long one who would have thought the guards still held such animosity towards each other, Shining Armor and I have tried to work things out but now since he married Princess Cadance it's been hard to keep everypony in check I just broke up a tiff before coming back." He explained as he continued to remove his armor. She finished the dishes, dried her hooves and walked over to him then began to help him remove his chest plate placing it on a mannequin.
"Thank you Flo." He said. Flo chuckled warmly.
"I have no doubt you will work out the problems, it's all in the past now. Princess Luna has changed as well." She pointed out as she looked to him. He had aged under the strain of being the captain of Princess Luna's guard, she could see it. Nuzzling his mane Night Vale looked down at his wife and smiled.
"How was Night Shade? She go to bed without a fuss?" he asked
"She wanted to me to retell the day Luna returned and you asked to be in the guard. I think she might wish to be in the guard when she gets older." She said poking her hoof into his shoulder teasingly. Night Veil smiled despite his tired state.
"I don't know but it is up to her whether or not it is her destiny." He chuckled. Flo looked at the time it was 6:30 in the morning.
"Time for us to retire don't you agree?" she asked. Night Veil chuckled and nodded as she walked in front to him going to the bedroom and retiring for the night.
The evening began to come, as Night Shade awoke before her parents and slipped form her covers. Slowly opening the door she walked downstairs and saw her father's armor. She gushed and looked at the way it was crafted then picking up her father helmet and placed it on her head and looked into a mirror. It was too large for her but she loved how it looked on her and soon she was strutting in front of the mirror. Raising her bat wings she tried to look as fearsome as her father did when he was giving his orders.
"You looking to be Captain of the Vanguard?" came her father's voice behind her making her jump and shriek landing on her back with her father's helmet covering her eyes. Night Veil chuckled as he pulled the helmet off looking at his daughter who smiled awkwardly up to him. Flo laughed lightly as she walking into the kitchen and began to make breakfast. He put his helmet back and lifted his filly up and set her upright and walked to the table.
"What do you have planned for tonight?" he asked Night Shade
"I believe we are going to learn on the origin of the bat pegasi." She said sitting across from him.
"Ah, take those studies to heart. It's important to know our history if you ever hope to be a member of the guard." He said slightly seriously, he wanted her to do well in her studies and well if a few nudges in the academic direction couldn't hurt. Night Shade nodded looking serious. Flo placed food in front of Night Shade, Night Veil then set a plate for herself. Breakfast was quiet as they ate, but Night Shade broke the silence.
"What are you doing tonight dad?" she asked as he finished the breakfast.
"I am going to make sure the night patrols go on without a hitch. We are escorting her highness to ponyville for an audience with princess Twilight." He explained then stood up putting on his armor. Night Shade stopped eating and went to help her dad. She began to tug on a strap. He chuckled and let her help. He placed his helmet on then looked to Flo who smiled at Night Shade helping her father. After they finally got his armor sitting right, Night Veil walked over to Flo and kissed her passionately which drew a disgusted look from Night Shade.
"Eewww." She exclaimed. Which both parents looked at her laughed.
"I'm off to duty, be good Night Shade study hard." He said walking to the door with Flo who opened it for him.
"Have a good night." She said wishing him well. That was the Last time they ever saw Night Veil.