(( Author's note: Okay to start off with setting the basic scene of the Fic's Equestria. Equestria is coming to the close of their Industrial revolution and have a large amount of technology we have today while also staying back military technology such as firearms and other such killing devices due to the one thousands year peace under Celestia because come on, if you haven't even heard of war before except from fairy tales are you going to make weapons to kill on mass? Doubt it. So the military science of Equestria is around the time of the Second World War in comparison to us so they have fully automatic weaponry but it is bulky and not very useful, however the computer science of the time is on comparison to ours albeit around 2003. Anyway that is all cleared up so please enjoy the story and I hope you stick around for the ride ~ Roger West ))

A spark will show itself

The clouds were very thick that day, almost like a curtain per say, but it was not the clouds that I was interested in that day. I was interested of the commotion which was going on inside the palace. Now I was a Royal guard at the time, good money but I never did fit the role, I always took peaks on my way back to the barracks through the windows of the palace to see how it was inside. Normally I would simply see the line of my fellow guards standing there and on the odd occasion I would see Princess Celestia talking to advisors or even Princess Luna taking a stroll around the grounds before heading out to bring up the moon. However today was something shocking, all I saw was commotion and fear which made this all the more enticing to see what happened so I did what any other stupid colt would do.

"Hey Ink blot" spoke a familiar voice as I entered the main throne room, I twisted my head around to the voice seeing a snow white unicorn with green eyes staring back at me. "It is Ash cloud now, Dizzy" I nickered towards him "Oh forgives me great Ash cloud" the stallion made a mock bow towards me before continuing "I seriously don't understand why you like that name, it is only because you smoke like one of the factories" Dizzy finished his sentence with a chuckle and a smirk down to his friend.

"Listen Dizzy; just let me switch this shift with you alright?" I gave my brightest smile to him before he nickered "Fine… you owe me one though /Ash/" he smiled back to me as I switched positions with him before turning my gaze onto the reason why I came here.

Princess Celestia was surrounded by her advisors as well as the Captain of the Guard all wore a look of worry and or anger and from what I saw they were trying to see who could win in a shouting competition, in all fairness I would have given that award to the unicorn with bits for a cutie mark he could really shout, I kept my gaze on them and I could pick out a few snippets of conversation even when they were shouting I could barely understand most of it. Something about Griffins and such I never really listened to most things and now when I try to listen my hearing fails me despite the lack of details I heard they all fled my mind when I heard a huff against the back of my helmet. I slowly craned my neck around looking at the person who huffed at me; I wore a frown upon my face before she came into my view which quickly changed my frown into one of my less "professional" stumbles to the floor which was met with her simply stifling a chuckle as she looked down on the pitiful guard pony.

"We are sorry, we did not mean to make you fall but we wonder why you were so intent on listening to the nobles and my sister" she spoke with a soft yet sophisticated voice "I.. sorta.. urrmm…" I stumbled over all of my words barely even being at the level of a drunk after their weekly payment but the Princess simply blushed before speaking again "Ash cloud is it not?".

Now THIS made me jet back up onto my hooves, simple bafflement streaked across my face before she blushed and said quickly "We heard it from the guard while you were speaking to him". I could not keep eye contact with her as my eyes kept getting drawn to her waving navy blue hair before me looking like one of her starry nights making me smile slightly before remembering we were still mid conversation "Sorry Princess, yes I am Ash cloud milady. May I ask why you were so close to hear my conversation?" She stood to her full height, which almost dwarfed me if it weren't for my armour; she cocked her eyebrow "Is one not allowed to be inside their own room?" I looked around to my left spotting the open door which lead into Princess Luna's chambers.

As I realised that I was definitely not an observant pony I blushed and gave the Princess a sheepish grin "Accept my apology milady I did not notice, as you may now know I am not considered a very smart pony" she was taken aback by what I said to which she stamped a hoof and said "You obviously are a smart pony otherwise you would no-.." she slowly sniffed the air before looking down to me "You smoke don't you?" which I could only nod to "Maybe you are not a /smart/ pony but you are one who is not stupid" now that took the grin from my face.

As I took in the image of the Princess I could clearly see she was not the same height as her sister, which was of course given due to her being the younger sister, but she was not short either being about half a hoof with my armour on and I am not one of the shortest ponies around so she is definitely to be considered tall at least. She also had a scent about of her which reminded me of the various roses in the Royal gardens which I always loved to be put on patrol in which peaked my interest.

"Princess, this is not proper of me to ask but have you been in the gardens?" she simply shook her head "We have not, why do you ask?" I simply shrank back into my armour before taking a breath "It is just that you smell of the gardens this evening milady." Now I know that she had something in common with a rose with her cheeks looking that colour. I am sure of it!

"Well we believe we should attend the meeting with our sister" she shrank back slightly before asking softly "Would you like to come?" I looked at her for a second, trying to process what I just heard, before simply nodding and giving her a salute with my hoof which send my oversized helmet scurrying across the floor… I hate my job.

I grabbed my helmet and put my mane back into style. I also hate my mane, my mane and my job, I mean seriously I am not even middle age and I have this grey strip in it I was born with an old buck's hair colour. The Princess looked at me for a second before speaking again "We are sorry, we did not know you were of age, your face tells us different from what your mane says" I sighed at this remark… I am still a young buck Luna Da-.. Never mind.

"Do not worry milady, my mane is a lie to the eye as I was born with this streak making me look older than I am" she had a look of shock on her face so I quickly went on "But thank you for thinking I look mature milady, it is truly a compliment I will hold close." Okay that is it; she is related to a rose somehow, cheeks don't normally go that shade!

As we entered the main throne room I saw just how much of a commotion there truly was; papers were everywhere they could find a place to lay and all of the nobles' jackets were discarded haphazardly which was never good news as a posh pony will NEVER let their coat get dusty unless it is important. As we neared Celestia stood from the throne and looked at us both with a sullen look in her eyes "Luna, why are you here? Guard take her back to her chambers she does not need to hear this" I turned my head to Princess Luna and sighed before placing my hoof in front of her, trying to steer her around, but I was met with a stern look from the dark purple alicorn which made me back down before she gave a small smile and turned her attention to her sister. "Tia' I have as much right to hear the news from the nobles as you do as you know we are only separate by age" her voice was very casual compared to the way she spoke to me and also I got to hear her call the ruler of Equestria Tia' they won't believe THAT in the barracks!

Celestia narrowed her eyes towards me "I said take her back to her chambers guard or do you not accept my orders as your Princess?!" she roared at me making me take several steps back which in turn made my helmet fall to the floor making a crash which was echoed through the chamber. I looked back and forth between the nobles and Princess Celestia before my gaze landed upon my Captain in his dress uniform with an almost… what was that expression, worried? I have not known him for long and that seems to look like a worried face. He simply nodded towards Princess Luna who turned to me with an almost angry look upon her muzzle as she surveyed my armour "Corporal Ash Cloud, will you follow the orders of my sister or will you follow my orders and stand down?" I looked everywhere I could but Celestia's face. I shut my eyes for a second and I suddenly had the though 'I am on the moon now aren't I?' which made me fearful to re-open my eyes for a second too long making me seem a little slow due to the time I took to blink.

"I serve the Princess of the Night; I am of the Nightstream guard milady" I stated simply as I grabbed my helmet from the floor plonking it back on my head before looking back to the nobles. Now if looks could kill then I would have be a pile of mush from the amount of scowls I got from the multiple nobles there but as I gazed to the Captain in his white uniform he simply nodded knowingly to me however Princess Celestia was on the opposite side of the scale, she could have had steam coming from her ears and still not look any angrier wait a second… there is the steam. "Captain, I wish for you to dismiss this guard and take his personal possessions with him" Celestia said coldly earning a gasp from Princess Luna "Are you sure Princess? He is one of my finest" the Captain lied, now I know he was lying because the only thing I was good at was fast drawing my duty revolvers from the sides of my armour with my wings, I lowered my head and bowed down in front of the nobles "I am sorry to have refused your orders Princess but my oath stands with Princess Luna, not you"

Princess Luna had such a smile on her face that I would not regret getting fired for this if I had put that smile on her face and I guess my gaze lingered a second to long as she let out a slight blush as she turned to her sister "I will not allow his dismissal Tia', he shall stay" her words were emphasized by a strike of her hoof against the marble floor. I looked up from my bowed position and re-found my ground with all four hooves and returned beside Princess Luna "Do not worry milady, I am always to serve the will of the night" I spoke with a smile upon my face before turning and trotting out the throne room. I really need a smoke…

(( : Thank you for reading, I would be very appreciative if you can post any faults with the story and maybe even a few ways I could help my writing. Again, thank you and I hope you keep with the story until the end ))