>The Great Hall is all but empty when you make your way down for breakfast. Celestia got up hours before you did in order to perform her duties, leaving you to sleep in alone.
>So now you sit at one of the long oak tables, scribbling hurried notes down between bites of toast.
>Every so often the silence in the Hall is broken by a loud, annoyed grunt as you ball up and toss aside yet another piece of paper.
>There's a small pile forming around your plate and you've made little progress in thinking of a solid plan of action.
>You hardly pay attention to the sound of the Hall doors opening, only looking up when you notice the sound of clopping behind you getting louder.
>”Hard at work, Anon?” the Princess of the Moon asks. She picks up one of the papers and lets out a chuckle. “What are these? Are you trying to figure out Our dear nephew's plans too?”
>Luna's light tone drops after a second of reading your notes while you continue eating. “Anon, what is all this?”
Gameplan.
>She picks up and unfolds another. “For what?”
Granite.
>”This? 'Old District tunnels?'” she says, picking up more papers. “'Shipping warehouse basements,'  'Dive bars...'” a cold laugh escapes her lips. “Oh, and this gem: 'Stake-out Blueblood's place?”
Just ideas...
>”This isn't a movie. You can't just run around like a one-man police force.”
>You turn around in your seat to look at the Princess and she puts the wadded up papers back.
Well I dunno 'bout yo--
>”Be quiet and walk with me,” she cuts in, suddenly sounding serious.
Wheah to?
>”Just follow.” The papers on the table suddenly ignite as the Princess walks away. “You ever been to the Nightguard barracks?”
1/
 
Can't say I have, Lu. The Bats ahn't really that social 'n I tend ta do my bidness wit th' daytime guys.
>The Princess raises an eyebrow. “Bats? What kinda respect is that? Woudja call the chief a' police a Pig to 'is face?”
...Yeah.
>”Jackass. This way.” The Castle doors open and Luna leads you out into the street.
So wadda we goin' up th' Nightguahd faw?
>”We're gonna have a chat.”
'Bout what?
>”Blueblood, Granite...some other things if we have time.”
I don' think I like the sounda' that last one.
>Luna glances back and smirks. ”I don't think you have to. Up here.”
>She motions towards a long narrow set of stairs leading toward an imposing ivy-covered brick building.
>A pair of dark gray stallions clad in violet armor stand at the doors when you arrive. They flare their webbed wings as you approach before bowing their heads at the sight of Luna coming up the stairs.
>”Good morning, ma'am,” they say in unison.
>”Good morning. Is everyone assembled?” the Princess replies with a sudden air of decorum.
>”Yes'm. They're waiting in the briefing room.”
>”As you were, then. Anon, keep up and don't wander off.”
>You catch part of a conversation between two Nightguards as you pass them by.
>”...to a try at the Throne, maybe?” one says.
>”No, we ruled that out, I thought. Seems more like...” you lose the rest of the reply when Luna leads you around another corner.
So've you guys made any headway on Blueblood's plan? Sounded like those two were talkin' about it. That what this is about? Yuh want me heah workin' wit' th' Nightguahd?
>Luna comes up to a large set of iron doors and turns to you with a sly smile.
>”Not quite.”
2/
 
>The doors open and Luna leads you into the chamber towards a large stately table around which are seated a good dozen Nightguards.
>She motions to a stallion at the far end of the room, who rushes out and returns with a chair for you.
>”Good morning. What do you have for me today, gentleponies?” the Princess asks the assembles Nightguard as you sit down.
>”Not much, ma'am. It's only been a day. We'll need more time to come up with anything solid,” a stallion answers, sounding hesitant to give Luna the report.
>Luna nods in response and turns to you while addressing the room.
>”I will expect an update as soon as you make progress. In the meantime, there has been a change of plans regarding the...former...Council Chair Granite Cliffs.”
>”What do you suggest, ma'am?”
>”We are putting together an investigative squad to find him. A small team, six or seven stallions, so as not to start anything we needn't. Do We have any volunteers?”
>A couple of tentative hooves are raised.
>”Who's in charge of this operation, ma'am?” one pipes up, pointing to you. “Him?”
>Luna scoffs.
>”You think We would allow Our Nightguard to take orders from an outsider? Anonymous is coming along as an adviser. All you have to do is follow MY orders and not let him get hurt...”
>She glances at you quickly.
>”...too badly. Understood?”
>”Yes'm.”
>”Good. Any more of you want to volunteer or shall We start appointing squad members?”
>You feel a sense of quiet foreboding come over you.
3/
 
>After the meeting Luna walks you from the chamber and out into the winding halls.
>A few yards down the first corridor, you pick up your pace and come abreast of the Princess.
Hey, Lu?
>”Yes?”
Why th' change a' haht?
>She looks back at you with knotted brow.
Don' gimme that look. A day ago you said we had ta' figure out Blueblood's plan. 'Blueblood can wait,' I think yuh said. Now yuh turn around an' hand ovah six a' yuh personal guahd? What changed, Lu?
>She seems to hesitate for just a moment. “Nothing. We simply reevaluated our priorities and did not want to leave you out of things. You do have nothing better to do, is that not right?”
>You smirk at her straightforward response.
Yuh know, 'f I di'n' know any beddah I'd say I'd finally stahded ta grow on ya.
>”Well it's a good thing you know better. You are abrasive, confrontational, stubborn--”
'S like lookin' in a mirrah, innit?
>Luna scowls at you before turning away abruptly. “Honestly, I don't know what my sister sees in you.”
Well--
>”But she seems...happy with you around. You must be doing something right, I suppose, for all your faults.”
That why yuh spent faw months out lookin' faw me way back when? Fuh Celly?
>”I don't think I like your tone, Anonymous.”
Well, I don' think yuh hafta. Just observin'.
>”Just make sure you take the observing down to the streets tonight, alright? I'm trusting you here. Don't let me down, and don't let her down.”
Wouldn' dream of it, Lu. You know I wanna bag this prick maw'n anyone. Findin' Granite's just th' first step.
>You grin.
Also it's gonna piss the hell outta Blueblood. That's really all th' incennive I need.
4/
 
>After sunset you return to the Nightguard barracks. Waiting at the bottom of the steps are six violet-armored stallions conversing amongst themselves.
>They don't seem to notice you until you clear your throat loudly to get their attention.
>”Oh good, you showed. Thought we were going to have to start without you,” one of them says sarcastically.
>You brush past him and lean against a streetlamp to size up the group. Four pegasus Nightguard, one unicorn, and one earth pony stand in a cluster under the light.
Okay. This everyone? Let's get goin'.
>The unicorn narrows his eyes and walks up to you rapidly.
>”How about we get something straight first? I'M in charge of this operation. I don't care who you are and I don't care how you know Her Highness. Only reason you're on this team is because SHE said you were coming. Keep your mouth shut, follow our lead, and for the love of Luna, don't screw anything up. Got that?”
>You unclench your fist and sigh, throwing your hands up.
...Aight, aight. Whatevah yuh say. Weah to first?
>The unicorn turns abruptly and addresses the group. You mutter under your breath as he goes.
Douche.
>”We'll look through the area of Granite's home first. If you find anything out of the ordinary, tell me. Cloudrunner, take the rookie and go up the street. Ask the locals if they saw anything odd in the last week or so.”
What should I do?
>”Just stand there and keep looking pretty, alright? Leave this to us.”
>You scowl and pull out your last cigarette of the day.
Shoulda' just gone down th' bah...
5/
 
>After ten minutes of standing alone under the streetlamp, you snuff out the cigarette and walk down the street towards Cloudrunner and the rookie as they make the rounds.
>Cloudrunner stands back and lets the rookie do most of the talking. The young stallion looks nervous even when talking to some of the least imposing ponies you've ever laid eyes on.
'Ey. I's Cloudrunnah, right?
>The guard turns from watching the rookie fumble through his questions.
>”Yeah. I read about you in the paper. Made a pretty big stir around town when you first showed up here.”
Huh. Guess so. Found anythin' yet? Need me ta help out?
>Cloudrunner looks over at the unicorn for a second.
>”I don't think Sarge'd appreciate me going over his head, but that doesn't mean you can tag along with us. We're just asking around here; rookie's got it pretty much covered,” he responds before looking past you at the young stallion. “Isn't that right? You got this?”
>”You know I have a name, right? It's Frost. Winter Frost.”
>”...Cool name. I'm still going to call you 'Rookie,' Rookie.”
>”Can you at least call me 'Rook' for short or something?”
>”No. Now get to the next house. We've got a whole street to cover and we can't be knocking on doors too late at night.”
>Frost huffs, disappointed at his new nickname, and shuffles to the next house. You turn to Cloudrunner as the two of you follow him.
So what's the whole deal wit' you guys? Luna's got a whole sep'rate operation goin' on, looks like. How come?
>”You mean why does the Nightguard exist?”
Yeah, pretty much.
6/
 
>”Well that goes back a thousand or so years. Back then it was just the Royal Guard who protected Canterlot and the Royal Family. Celestia formed them when she and Luna came to power about two thousand years ago. That lasted for a good couple hundred years until the First Changeling Invasion. Granted that one didn't even get as far along as the more recent incident, but it still rattled everyone enough that a special detachment of Guards was formed specifically to serve as bodyguards.”
>Cloudrunner stops for a moment and makes sure Frost is still on-task.
>”So about fifty or so Royal Guard got assigned to the new division and protected the Royal Family while they slept. After a generation or so, the division got nicknamed the Nightguard even though it was still part of the Royal Guard.”
So when'd you guys split off?
>”Getting to that. After another few years, Celestia decided that the Nightguard weren't necessary as a security force anymore since there hadn't been any kind of attack for at least a hundred years at that point. Luna, though, still saw the threats lurking just out of her sister's sight. She called for the formation of a special force of Guards to ensure the security of Equestria, especially Canterlot. Since the positions were mostly filled with recently-fired Guards, she named it the Nightguard.”
What kinda threats did Luna think were out theah?
>”Mostly internal, actually. The early Nightguard spent a lot of time rooting out insurrectionists and ponies who would try to undermine the Throne.”
Did it work?
>”Sure did, but we don't do that kind of thing so much anymore. After Luna's banishment we took on a role closer to the Royal Guard. When she came back from exile, she took charge again.”
7/
 
What about the wings? I've nevah seen anothah pony wit bat wings out side a' you guys.
>”Oh these? The unicorns cast a kind of illusion magic on them to make them look like this. Tradition, you know? Eyes too. Contacts. You've probably seen a few of us around Canterlot when we're off duty without knowing it.”
Huh. Yuh know, heah I thought you guys were some sawta cult 'r a buncha fanatics.
>”We get that a lot,” Cloudrunner laughs, turning to Frost, “Anything yet, Rookie?”
>”None, sir.”
>Cloudrunner grumbles. “We're going to be here all night, aren't we?”
If we have to be. That a complaint?
>”Not at all. Beats the office.”
>You spend the rest of the night searching helping the Nightguard comb the area around Granite's house with mounting frustration.
8/
 
>A few days later you're sitting at your desk in your chambers after another night's searching, poring over the notes you've scrawled out and referencing newspapers and maps of the city.
>You absentmindedly grab a mug next to you and gag on the ice-cold, two-day-old sludge inside.
>There's a knock at the door which you ignore, keeping your eyes focused entirely on the task before you and mumbling to yourself.
Nothing at the house, found single link of gold chain down street going towards Old District...grass trampled recently...reported late night activity in disused airship hangars...nothing a--
>”Anon?”
>You look up from your work to see Celestia hanging back by the door.
>”You weren't answering your door. Is everything alright?”
Yeah, yeah. Just busy's all. Weah wickit close ta findin th' guy, Celly. I can feel it. I'm just missin'... I dunno. Somethin' impawtnt.
>”Have you been sleeping? It's been days since I've seen you an--”
>Her face morphs into a grimace as she comes closer.
>”Ha- When's th' last time yuh bathed?” she manages to ask through gags.
Dunno, like...Wednesday?
>”Anon, it's friggin' Sunday. Take a showah, fuh th' luvah Gawd.”
>You take a hesitant sniff of your under-arm and nearly fall over.
Might have a point theah.
>”I know yuh wrapped in work righ' now, but yuh gotta have some downtime.”
>The Princess looks at you knowingly until you acquiesce.
>You talk to her through the closed door as you turn the water on.
Thanks fuh tawkin' 'a Luna, by th' way.
>”What?”
Come awn. Really think she'd just let me run with 'er Guahds outta th' kindness of 'er haht?
>”That ain't fayah an' you know it, Anon.”
9/
 
I know, just she can't seem ta decide whether aw not she likes me. One seckint she's yellin' at me an' sayin' I don' know what I'm tawkin' about, the next she's spendin' faw months searchin' back alleys fuh my sorry ass.
>”Lu's nevah been one ta show affection well. It's just her naycha. If she's helpin' though, she must cayah at least a little.”
>You stand under the stream of water, thinking.
I guess.
>”It's nawt her fault she's so protective, eithah. When yuh've been around as long as us and been through what she has...Well, yuh accumulate more'n a few skeletons in yuh clawsit.”
Sounds like it.
>You pause for a minute.
Why wouldn't Blueblood keep Granite in custody with his crooked Guahd? He had a false warrant and fake chahges. Why do that and then just make him dissapeah?
>”I've been tryin' ta figure that out myself. It makes no sense.”
The resawses he's gawt, he should be able ta just have him put away, but he di'n't. He did it the weahd black-ops way like some sawta--
>Your hand flies to your face and you mumble to yourself.
What's the most bullshit place ta hide someone? Someplace so dumb no one'd evah think ta look?
>With a flurry of annoyed energy you turn off the water and throw open the bathroom door.
Have the castle searched. Top ta--
>”Bottom?” Celestia finishes for you, face red and eyes locked on--
>You look down.
Ah crap...
End