(Note: Hey! This doesn't normally happen, I just stayed up late night to type XD But YAY! New chapter :P That's exciting.)

Chapter 1 Make or Break Me

Ten Months Earlier

"Hey, did ya hear about that pony from that other land that kidnapped an Equestrian unicorn?"

"It wasn't a pony doofus, it was a centaur, and yeah, I did hear that."

"Well did ya hear he tried ta suck all the magic outta the unicorn?"

"That's not the only thing! Straight from Sendak himself, he was teaching Lord Tirek to drain so much magic, a pony would become brain dead, and because of that, the spellcaster could make that pony their slave!"

"A puppet pony!"

I sat at a table in the bar Sarge had brought us to, and the other cadets—now either Privates or hoofponies—were all scattered throughout the bar. I was sitting close enough to one group to hear what they were saying. It piqued my curiosity just slightly.

"Here ya go!" Ace of Spades—or Cardkeeper as he was known—came and sat next to me, setting a drink of amber liquid down in front of me.

"Card," I frowned at him, "You hear what they're talking about?" I pointed with a hoof.

"Yeah, and it doesn't sound like something they should be—"

"Enough!" Sarge said sternly to the ponies at the table talking about Lord Tirek. "We're here to have fun, and to celebrate your graduation. Not to talk about sensitive material." There was murmuring amongst the ponies in question.

I laughed, a bit amused at their anguish. "Shadethrower!" Sarge was suddenly in my face. I was instantly stone silent as I met his indigo eyes. Sarge cracked a huge grin, "Here's your uniform when you wanna look at it." I kept myself from heaving a sigh of relief. Sarge still said, "Thought you were in trouble, eh?"

"No," my voice remained its usual monotone.

Sarge chuckled, "Didn't think so." He walked off, chuckling to himself, his yellow tail swishing.

I bent to put the box beneath the table, planning to look at it later. I noticed how heavy it was as I lowered it, but I paid it no mind until Cardkeeper shouted, "Shadethrower, stop! Look!" He was pointing at the box with vigour. I rolled my eyes but lifted it back to the table. Card jumped at the box, halfway on the table and fumbling to open it. I sighed, but chuckled under my breath at the scene.

I immediately sobered when Card pulled out a shiny mist blue and indigo helmet of the Royal Guard. He set it down in front of me. I sat up taller, opening the box further to look for myself. There was a note, and as I picked it up, I noticed a gold helmet sitting underneath with the rest of the armor.

"There's one for both of us," I stated, trying to keep my cool, but my heartbeat had picked up. Unfolding the note, we looked at it together:

For Shadow Bright and Ace of Spades. Outstanding performances in basic training camp. Being in the Royal Guard is a high honor. You two really deserve it. I'm proud of you, and I'm proud to say, I was chosen to be your commanding officer.. I'll be seeing you boys in Canterlot before we head off to our station. Good job,

Sergeant Baise Fooler

I caught Sarge's eye from across the room. He smiled proudly at us, but I quickly looked away, self conscious.

"By Faust, Shade! Look at this!" Cardkeeper was freaking out.

"Yeah. It's great." I didn't like the attention. Yes, I was glad to get into the Royal Guard right off the bat, when most ponies could only dream. But I didn't think there needed to be such a big deal out of it. I didn't think anything needed to be a big deal.

"Aren't you excited?" Card inquired, calming in his concern for me.

I stared at him, "Of course I am. I just don't think we should make a scene."

"Oh. Right." he sounded disappointed.

I felt bad. Of course he was excited. Everypony reacted to things differently. I put a hoof on his shoulder, "I didn't mean it like that, Card."

Cardkeeper blushed, avoiding eye contact with me, "That's okay." But it wasn't, and I knew it.

I slowly dropped my hoof. "Hey, if we're heading to Canterlot, we should get going on packing." I stood as I said it, and picking up the box with my magic, I began to walk away.

I caught a glimpse of his cutie mark. A large diamond, situated between a smaller heart and spade. That was odd, usually it was a spade in the middle right…? I decided to ask him later.

"Hey, everything alright?" Sarge asked me as I approached the exit.

"Yeah fine, but do you know if Ace's cutie mark can change?"

"I…don't…know…" Sarge said slowly, glancing to the side. He quickly met my eyes again, "Hey, hoofpony, eh? Pretty exciting, huh?" I noticed how he changed the subject.

"Yeah," I answered, emotionless. After that, I left the bar, feeling uncomfortable. Strange, Sarge never made me feel like that…

Card and I both wore our combat uniforms that weekend. It was the day we departed for Canterlot.

I was quiet when I met Card at the train station. But he was as talkative as ever. "Shade! We're going to Canterlot! Can you believe it?"

"Calm down Card, we're not going on vacation. It's just a debrief before we are assigned our post." I said, but I was chuckling softly.

"That doesn't matter. We'll have a whole three days there! I'm excited." I could tell nothing would dissipate his excitement.

"Okay, but we'll keep it professional." How did I know that wasn't going to happen? Probably by my best friend's distracted expression.

The pegasus began jumping up and down as the train arrived. The Friendship Express chugged into the station and the closer it got the higher into the air Card went, his wings fluttering like a hummingbird's.

"All aboard!" called the conductors. Cardkeeper basically dive bombed the train.

I sighed, shaking my head, "Oh Card."

As we arrived in Canterlot, I noticed the old architecture mixed in with the new. I had to admit, the stonework on the more medieval buildings was beautiful. But I didn't spend too much time looking.

Card did though, and he let me know it. He kept spouting all the things he had planned for us to do this weekend. I mostly ignored it, but some of it gave me the shivers. I kinda questioned it, but I wasn't gonna say anything.

We got off the train, Card skipping out ahead. "Card, we're supposed to be in the Royal Guard!" I hissed.

Card obviously didn't care, "We have three hours until we have to be at the castle. I say we look for lunch first!" Card bounced off, and I had to follow my friend, huffing and rolling my eyes. I got that he was excited, but this was ridiculous. But perhaps it was just me and my repressed emotions that didn't know how excited was socially acceptable.

"Hey!" Card called, "I know a great restaurant!"

"What is it?" I grumbled.

"It's called Broken Shield."

I began looking through my saddle bag, "Is it expensive?"

Card laughed heartily, "I dunno! I've never been!" he rolled his eyes at me with a big grin like it was supposed to be obvious. "I do know it's four stars though."

"Fine, let's go."

The restaurant wasn't too long a walk away, and it was in the city's lower heights, so it was all downhill. Card chittered the whole way, but I mostly ignored him. Other ponies were giving him looks.

I was busy making observations. I kept seeing newspapers, either being read, littered around, or still in their stands, but they all said one thing: LORD TIREK DRAINS MAGIC FROM EQUESTRIAN PONIES. CELESTIA CONCERNED FOR EQUESTRIA.

Card suddenly stopped and I ran right into him. "We're here!" he shouted. I facehooved.

"Let's just go in."

We were greeted at the door by a mare wearing a frilly blue shirt with an apron. She had her mane done up in a bun.

"Welcome to Broken Shield, please follow me to your seats." she sounded just as done as I was.

We were brought to a circular table covered by an off-white cloth, the centrepiece a blue candle. The area had an opening in the wall instead of a window, looking out on the cobblestone street.

"Your waiter will be right with you." the mare left, and soon a stallion wearing a black uniform and apron showed up.

He immediately scowled when he saw us. "Are you two gay?"

My eyes widened and my jaw began to work as I shot Cardkeeper a horrified look. Card only shot our waiter a smile, "What if we are?"

"We're just here for lunch!" I squeaked.

"I guess so, I mean you are wearing Royal Guard uniforms." the waiter stared us up and down.

"Royal ponies can be gay!" Card guffawed.

"Cardkeeper, enough!" I growled at him under my breath.

The waiter ignored us, "Whattaya want?"

I cleared my throat, "Can I just have water to start please?"

"Me too," Card said. The waiter gave him one last look before heading off to grab our drinks.

"Card, what has gotten into you?" I questioned, really getting irritated.

"Nothing!" Card looked guilty of something.

"What'd you do?"

"Oh, nothing much…I may have just snatched this," Card slammed a newspaper down on the table, then sat back to watch me.

"Card wha—" LORD TIREK DRAINS MAGIC. I pushed it away, "Card, didn't you just say yesterday this isn't something we should really be talking about?" but Card's knowing smile made me reach for it again.

Quickly, I read it, not wanting to, but too curious to stop myself. Afterward, I stared in wide eyed shock. "She's threatening war?" Card didn't say anything. When I looked at him, he seemed not to be paying any attention to me.

I knew I'd be thinking about this newspaper article for the rest of the day. I felt that a war with Tirek may not be uncalled for. Not with the kinds of things he kept doing.

This was something that thinking about too hard would either make or break me.

(Chapter 2 set for 1/12/17 12:00pm CT

I'm having so much fun writing this! I hope you're having just as much fun reading it. Just you wait ;) I enjoy comments too, so please don't be afraid. Thanks, see ya soon!)