A/N: I apologize for such a long wait for this chapter. I had a mix of work, housework, writer's block, and other story ideas.

"You want to serve . . . me?" said Nightmare Moon, completely shocked. He did not know what else to say, for he had not expected such a question.

The first pegasus spoke again, "Yeah." He turned in his position, still swinging, to look behind him. Satisfied that nopony was in earshot, he continued, "We honestly like you better than Celestia."

Nightmare laughed, and a blue mist started to swirl around. With their view of the scene blocked, the suspended guards could only watch as the mist intensified. As quickly as it arrived, it departed, leaving a smaller Princess Luna, still laughing.

"Sorry," Tim said, "I haven't heard of anypony liking me better than Celestia. Don't take me wrong, though. I am excited to have some ponies that care for me."

"Um, could you possibly let us down now?"

"I am your princess!" Tim replied, almost shouting. "I do as I wish, when I want to!"

His action caused the guards to flinch back in surprise. They had never heard the Royal Canterlot Voice, and to them, even the quiet version overwhelmed them. The guards saw their Lunar Princess spring up more laughter.

"Don't worry, you can come down." With that, the two pegasi fell to the ground. If they had not been given a warning, they would have snapped their necks on the stone. After a few moments of returning to their hooves, and rubbing their sore limbs, Tim asked them another question.

"So, why do you want to be my guards?"

The first pegasus spoke, "We've always protected others in our life."

"Are you two brothers?"

"No, just close friends."

"If you prefer being a guard, why do you approach me when you already have a position."

"Well, we-," he stopped. Looking at his friend, he gave a small nod, and, again, looked to spot any ponies trying to watch them. To both Luna's and Tim's surprise, he started to remove the golden armor from his body. "We also enjoy night much better than the day." As he spoke, the rest of his protection was gone from his frame, and revealed his body. What shocked the two beings in the single body the most was the lack of a mark upon his flank.

"So," started Tim, "you believe that you were destined to be night guards?"

The first pegasus nodded, and Tim resumed his speech, giving a little chuckle. "Well, I guess I'll make this somewhat formal." In a slightly louder voice, he continued, "I hereby announce that you two ponies shall become Guards of the Night and personal assistants to your Lunar Princess."

With his decree finished, a flash of light illuminated the end of the hallway. Instead of a white, blinding light, the flash was a dark-blue, almost concealing light. With normal sight reinstated, the two friends glanced at each other, and almost squealed in delight. The first pegasus' cutie mark was a shield decorated with a crescent moon, while his friend had a full moon beneath two crossed swords as a mark.

With their new marks, all three figures noticed other changes that occurred during the flash. Their wings, normally feathered, were replaced with ones that resembled a bat. Their armor, while still resting on the stone floor, changed from a golden color to a deep purple with the breastplate becoming a complete black.

"Well," Tim said after a few moments of observation, "I didn't expect that." He glanced back to his new guards, "You two may take the rest of the day off. If another guard complains, tell them to talk to me."

"We will, your Majesty." they replied in unison, bowing deeply. Once done with the bow, they gave each other a large hug. As Tim left the hallway he mentally spoke with Luna. "Do you think this is a good idea?"

Why not? If Celestia complains, we can that she was worried for our safety and this is a measure to insure that safety.

"Fine, then. Also, what do you think about the guards we chose?"

Well, they seem quite loyal.

"They do seem to like each other."

That one pegasus did say they were close friends.

"I mean likeeach other."

What do you-... oh. Do you mean-?

"Yeah. But it would probably help us in the long run. If they won't leave each other, that means they would be less likely to leave us. Nap time, again?"

Nap time, again.

Shining Armor quickly trotted through the halls of Canterlot Castle. It takes most guards two months to figure out their way through, and he was no exception. This time, he was heading to a much-visited place: Princess Celestia's study. He knocked on the door a few time and checked to makes sure he still had the horn cap. A soft voice was heard through the wooden door, "Come in."

He pushed through the doors, and noticed the Solar Princess sitting behind her desk with many papers in front of her. "Ah, Lieutenant Shining Armor. I was actually hoping to speak to you sometime soon."

Shining was taken back by this statement, "What do you mean, your Majesty?"

"I was wondering how our Solar Wind prisoner is doing."

"Solar Wind?"

"So, you haven't heard of them? I honestly didn't think you did, but your sister always surprised, so you could as well."

"Who or what is the Solar Wind, your Majesty?"

Celestia gave a small sigh, and continued, "They are a group of ponies who pledged themselves to the preservation of the sun. The cult first formed during the Nightmare Moon incident a thousand years ago. As their name says, they were primarily pegasi, but probably due to lack of followers and my sister's return, they recently allowed unicorns and earth ponies. They believed I needed, and still do need, help against what my sister had become. I told them many times to stay away from her, I even outlawed the group a few hundred years ago when they discovered the legend of Luna's return. Anyways, how is our prisoner?"

"Well, I did find something very unusual."

"What did you find, Lieutenant?"

Instead of speaking, he reached to his saddlebag and placed the horn cap on her desk. He expected her to be full of shock and surprise, but Celestia only gave another sigh and seemed almost sorrowful. "I hoped this wasn't the case."

"You mean you knew this would fall off, even though there is almost no way that's possible, Princess?"

"I'll inform you at a later date, Shining Armor. Now, though, you can take the rest of the day off. But there is one more thing I wish for you to do." Shining's sense of relief dissipated as he awaited his last order. "I want you to head to the Canterlot Castle Library."

Shining Armor waited a few seconds for his princess to continue. When she didn't, he spoke, "What do you wish for me to do, your Majesty?"

Celestia gave a small chuckle, "I believe there is a certain pink mare reading some books there at this moment. She could use your company."

Shining's face lit up to a shade the rivaled Big Macintosh's coat color. Celestia's laugh intensified as she saw the change of blood flow within her lieutenant. She barely managed to say, "You are excused, Lieutenant."

After a couple hours of what was supposed to be paperwork, but ended up being mental resting, Celestia stepped outside of her study. She needed to ask her sister a very important. The morning was close to beginning, but her sister was more important at this moment. She knocked on her sister's bedroom door, and heard a grumpy voice say, "Come in."

Celestia pushed the door open and observed the state of her sister. He was sitting on her bed, still half-asleep. "Yes, sister?"

"I wanted to talk about our prisoner."

Tim fell back onto the bed, "Oh, this again?"

"Luna, I want you to tell me exactly what happened."

"I told you, sister. He hit me, I fought back. I held him down for a few seconds, and then he seemed to have gone limp. I carried him to the guards, and they took him to the infirmary. Anything else you need, sister?"

"Yes, do you remember what happened when you held him down?"

"I just held him at his head, why do you ask?"

"Because," she sighed, "he lost the ability to use magic."