Chapter 49

I wake up, completely this time, in Luna's bed. Any pain I felt has disappeared. I blinkingly look around the room, and find Luna at the edge of her bed, seemingly waiting for me to wake up. She however, is asleep. I chuckle a little, and softly levitate her into the bed, struggling a little bit because my stone feels far away. She doesn't wake, and I wonder how long I was out. Looking at the clock across the room, it's late in the night, nearly dawn. About four or so. I wiggle next to her, and settle down easily. I'm wide awake however, and I'm likely going to stay that way.

I think about what happened during the ritual. Who was that, that contacted me? I know she showed me the ponies, let me hear them, but who is she? She was an unbelievable entity, whoever she is. I never thought something could appear so …. I don't even have words for what she was. It felt like all the knowledge of the universe was pressed down into a single pony, and given vast amounts of power, perhaps an infinite amount. Thinking back, and past the pain, her magic felt like it had no end, at least to me.

And the ponies she showed me, let me hear, they weren't just the ones that died yesternight, they were all of the ones I'd fought and killed in combat under Nightmare Moon. I could feel their overwhelming forgiveness, from all of them, and pure understanding. It brings tears to my eyes to know that they understand. And better than that, I heard Mary. Her voice was small, but strong, and although I couldn't tell what she was saying, she felt happy, and proud. I will tell Luna about this, all of this. My heart soars to know that she is, without a doubt, safe and sound and happy.

I let the happy thoughts flow over me, and hours pass before anything happens.

"Knights? Luna? Are you two awake?" I open my eyes to the sound of Jasmine's voice. It's about ten in the morning.

"I am. Luna is asleep." I whisper.

"I wanted to see how you both were." Jasmine adjusts her voice.

"Thank you. Why would Luna need worrying over? She didn't get hurt did she?"

"She was worried about you. As soon as you fell over, she grabbed you, and held you until you were done. And then she took you straight back here, to wait for you." Jasmine motions towards the door. "All those other ponies are out there too, waiting for their presumable general."

"I had better go see them." I say, thinking about it. I get out of bed, not disturbing Luna. I go to adjust my bandana, but find that it isn't there. "Where did my..?" I start looking around.

"Here it is." Jasmine holds it up.

"Thank you." I tie it on, feeling better. "Will you stay with her? I don't want her to miss me or feel alone, even in sleep."

"Of course, Knights. Anything for you." Jasmine nods, and goes to sit by Luna. I wonder what she means by 'anything for you', but I don't think about it. I take her help, thankfully, and continue.

I walk out into the hall, and am immediately greeted by six ponies saluting. I nod, and they relax.

"I am impressed by how you all acted during that encounter. I would like to conduct an interview of sorts before confirming you as part of the new Lunar Guard or trainees, but you shouldn't worry. I think you all are making the cut." I look at everypony here. "Where are the other two?"

"Red storm, the pegasus, and Tempered Wire, the grey Shetland, are outside, sir, patrolling." Maclura answers. "Red Sword and Red Shield thought to stand guard here, and I was speaking with the rest, sir."

I look at the two already initiated guards. "You two must be Red Sword and Red Shield. Mind taking off the spells?" The two comply, and I see they are the same red as that one stallion, the one presumably patrolling. "Good." I look at all the ponies gathered. "Because of the unorthodox situation we're in, we won't be speaking too privately. I'd like the trainees to walk around the corner, and wait there while I speak with Shield and Sword here." They nod and comply. Maclura stays. "What were you talking to them about?"

"The situation we're in, what with Luna's return and her apparent anti-cult. I was talking to them about what I know, which, actually, isn't all that much, but I wanted them to know as much as possible before signing up."

"Very good. I'll explain everything in greater detail to everypony later." I look back at the two red guards, their coats and orange eyes intriguing me. "Why would two experienced Celestial Guards want to transfer to the Lunar Guard?" The two look at each other.

"You see, our brother decided to join, and our parents asked us to always look out for him." The one closest to my right says. His cutie mark is a shield with a sword in it's center, so I want to assume this is Red Shield. His orange eyes convey concern.

"Also, we'd heard ourselves how valiantly everypony fought, and we thought to ourselves that this is something worth fighting for. Luna needs our help, yes? All three of us would gladly help, even knowing the risks." The other one says as well. His cutie mark is a sword with a shield in the center of the blade. I want to assume they are twins, because of how their cutie marks reflect each other, as all twins do.

"Those are good reasons. What are your skills? Your talents?" I ask.

"I am a trampler master. I use the heavy 'shoes' as shields as well as weapons. I can strategize defensive maneuvers well, but have only done so in advance. There's a couple maneuvers in Alexander's playbook that I came up with." The shield-marked one says first. He has a more leaderly air about him, like he can take charge well. I think about his weapon of choice, the tramplers. They're heavy shoes, basically that are about four or five inches of something called heavy iron, which is like steel, but has different properties. They are heavy and difficult to walk in, but he's been wearing them this whole time, and he seems fit for the strange weaponry. The heavy iron is perfect for shields, but it's so heavy that it's not actually something any pony can lift when made into shield form. When tramplers were invented, heavy iron was used to make them. It's hard to distill, and therefore hard to change the shape of, thus making it the ideal shielding material, save for it's unworldly weight. Tramplers are smaller, but still heavy, and if this stallion can walk around in wearing them so easily, I have no doubt he can swing them.

"I use swift swords. I like rapiers the best, but I know how to use almost any sword type you could throw my way." I see he is thinner, somehow, than his brother. I think it's the muscular build that differs between them. He seems smaller, less like a leader, though it is he who bears the image of a sword. The fact that he pointed out 'swift swords' means he is a light class, which is unusual for an earth pony. He must be exceptionally quick if he wasn't placed in a heavier class. He looks quick, and I can see his preferred blade is indeed a rapier, the thin blade almost invisible.

"Do you two work well together or apart?"

"As Twins, we have a link, and we more often than not work better together than alone." Red Shield answers. My suspicions are confirmed.

"And what of your brother?"

"He is well on his way to becoming a good Guard. He is a pegasus, something he inherited from our father. He is a strong flyer, and has some trampler-worthy hind legs. He seems more scout worthy to me, sir, but he has been training under General Alexander to be more like you, with a medium blade. I'm sad to say I don't know much about swords sir, so I may be wrong." Shield says, honestly. I admire that he told me this. Stallions are more stubborn by nature, and less likely to admit faults. He is a noble pony.

"Well, I will analyze him and his skills and see if he might do well with a combination. Potential shouldn't be let to waste, even if exploring it turns out to be less than promising. I'd like your help training these cadets. I've never trained anypony myself, before, although I've gone through a hardcore session with Alexander. I'm going to trust you two with that."

"Yes, sir." Shield responds, for the both of them.

"Why don't you go replace your brother and the other one he went patrolling with, and send somepony else over here? When Luna wakes up once more we will see about gathering everypony together, and getting some things done. But now that there are some experienced ponies, we can divide our time much better."

"Yes, sir." They reply together, and trot off.

"Sir?" Maclura asks.

"Yes?"

"Do you trust them more than me?" I hesitate at his question.

"No. I don't think so. They may have more experience, and Shield may have the potential to be a captain, but I think that thus far you have proven yourself the most, what with that fight. You are also the first to join the Lunar Guard. I've had a while to get a good read on you, and I like you. You're a good pony, and I do trust you."

"Is it wise to place me before the more experienced ponies?"

"I am not sure. I'm going with my heart on this, cheesy as it sounds, and you seem most fit for what I need in a second. You are humble, but capable. Weaker than most, but stronger in different areas. We need to work together more, after all I've known you a couple of nights, but from what I can tell, you and I will be good friends."

"I'm glad, sir."

"I'm only a year older than you, you know. You don't have to call me sir."

"Not technically. You were born a thousand years ago. You're at least whatever you were when you died plus what you are now. And you don't act like a nineteen year old. You seem older too." Maclura points to his head, his emphasis on 'seem' well-noticed.

"That makes me about thirty-two according to you. I don't think I like that number."

"Too bad, sir." Maclura laughs. "The next pony is coming." I look and see from the hall comes the pony I had interest in earlier, the one with the nearly black coat. His coat is indeed dark, and his mane is the same color with a vibrant red streak in it. The clichés in color combinations we have here at the Canterlot Castle.

"Hello, sir." The dark pony says.

"Hello. First, what is your name, talent, and reason for joining?"

"I am Midnight Flare, my talent is fighting, preferably with scythes, but any kind of fight will do. I want to fight, and that's really all there is to it." The dark pony says, with a grin.

"I don't like that answer. Why do you like fighting?" His motives concern me.

"It's just what I do, what I enjoy. I figured when I came here to Equestria, my only chance to get in on a good fight is in the royal Celestial Guard, but they don't see too much action besides what keeps them fit. Then I heard about the fight that happened in the small and newly formed Lunar Guard, and thought that this would be my best chance instead." His grin widens.

"Is that really all there is to it? I don't respect bloodlust, and if there's no other reason you want in, I doubt I'll agree to letting you fight on Luna's behalf."

"You need me, don't you? I'm skilled, don't worry about that, and I'm faithful. Don't tell me you don't understand my needs. Your talent is fighting too, I can see it written on your flank. You know what it's like."

"My talent is protecting Luna. My cutie mark represents my willingness to do anything for her, not a desire to fight." Rage boils in me, deeper down than usual. His tone upsets me.

"Give me a chance. If I don't make your cut you can boot me. I know you need me, and I need you." His tone gets serious, and he leans forward, almost animalistic.

"If you want in, you should respect your would-be general. You don't seem very trustworthy." Maclura points out. "How would we know you aren't a spy or an enemy sent to assassinate Princess Luna? You aren't exactly making a good show of yourself."

"If I wanted to kill her, I'm sure she'd be dead." The large pegasus leans down to put his face in Maclura's. I step in-between them.

"If you wanted to kill her, I'd have killed you." I point out to him. I let my eyes do their freaky thing, and he backs off a little. "I do need you, but I will be testing you and watching you. You don't seem like a 'bad' pony, but neither have you presented yourself in the best light. You are only getting in because I am in a desperate situation."

"That's good enough for me." He mutters. I glare at him. "I mean, thank you, sir." He salutes, and trots off. The next pony comes in much quicker. He is the white unicorn.

"Hello, sir." He says, his voice light and eager.

"Hello. Let's start with name, talent, and reason for joining." I begin.

"My name is Caster. I use light and heat related spells, sir, my favorite being a spell called 'Blinding' and another called 'Flare'. I heard about the fight that took place, and I realized my talents could be used here. I want to help, sir."

"How would your talent be helpful?" I raise my eyebrows curiously. A dozen ideas fly into my head.

"My light spells are mostly flashy, but a good quick stun could be helpful in a battle. I have been learning more destructive spells lately, as well. Things like firebolts."

"Strategic, yes. You seem like a good stallion. How old are you?" I notice his voice is still freshly deepened, as it still somewhat breaks.

"I am sixteen. I'm not in this for glory sir, I don't mind that I'm young and inexperienced. I just want to help ponies, and this seems a place that needs it." His eyes are clear and I find myself trusting this stallion on instinct.

"I like you. We'll see what we can do. Maclura said you're a hard worker, right?" I look back at the little blue stallion for confirmation.

"Yes sir, in team battles I've seen he's been especially good at creating diversions with his spells." Maclura answers swiftly. Diversions sound interesting. I'll have to see into this.

"Good, good. I think you'll be a nice fit." I pat Caster on the shoulder. "Send somepony else over here." He nods and goes back to the group. "Do you really think these… colts will be able to help?"

"They're not all so young. Caster is actually really mature for his age. And the others are almost all older than you. Shield and Sword are twenty-two, their brother Red Storm is nineteen, and the orange one coming this way is twenty. They'll do their best." I nod to him. He makes good observations and helpful notes on everypony. He's better than I expected of him.

The orange pony only nods to us as he walks up, no hello. I nod back.

"Start with your name, talent, and reason for joining."

"I am Orange Peel, part of the large Orange family. I grew up using lasso's to grab oranges off their trees, but I got my cutie mark with a whip. Not whipping oranges, just a whip. I figured there had to be a better use of my talents elsewhere, and it's a family tradition that one colt or filly joins the Royal Guard from every generation. I'm that colt, here to help. My talents didn't really go over well with Alexander, but I figured I'd try my hoof here." As he talks I look at his cutie mark, which is indeed a whip, and he takes out his tool to show me.

"That's a certainly interesting story."

"That's all there is to it. I'm here to help, if you'll have me." His voice is honest, and his upbringing makes me want to trust him. The farm-born families of Equestria tend to be exceedingly noble.

"I think we will." I nod my approval and he salutes. I turn to wait for the next and last two. I don't get very far because a sudden emotional input from Luna makes me freeze. I turn and dash back into her room.

"Luna!"