They're EVERYWHERE!

65536: 13

Nighttime in Canterlot is almost over and so is the shift for Nightguards without their own lodgings in the city who met up earlier to have early morning dinner and a few drinks before returning to the castle. As they head up the many flights of stairs, their conversation revolves around the food they ate recently.

"No offense, but I'd take chineighese over any traditional Hollow Shades cuisine," Pink Sunset shrugs.

"I will bite you!" Gloom hisses at him.

"I can understand local pride and whatnot but you have to admit it's an acquired taste at best," Sharp Biscuit tries to avoid this turning into yet another culinary lecture from Gloom.

"Race traitor!"

"Whoa there, Gloom. Let's not go crazy," Night Hunter joins the 'discussion'.

"My grandma would make you a blood pudding you'd never forget," grumbles Gloom.

"Show of hooves - fruit bats?" Sharp gives her a smug look when every present Nightguard barring one but including Gloom quickly raises a hoof, "Good. Now, what does our resident vampire bat have to say about grandma's blood pudding?"

"Overrated," Steel Glimmer shrugs.

"Why, you tattooed-?!"

"Gloom, you've never been to the Griffon Empire, have you?" Glimmer calmly shoots her down.

"No..."

"Those guys know how to work with giblets," Glimmer's wings perk up, "Hey, how about I order some proper meat next month from this one amazing shop in Manehattan? We can do some grilling on the castle roof."

"Only if you want a weather patrol raining on your parade, literally," Sharp shakes his head, "The east training grounds should be okay, though."

"Great, that settles it."

"Just don't go crazy with it, Glims," says Sharp, "I must admit I'm not big on meat either. Can I plus one, though?"

"Yeah, sure. Who?"

"I'm thinking Darky."

"That means no alcohol, though," says Night Hunter immediately, betraying a previous experience with the mare in question, "I don't want to have to pry her off of myself again."

"Duly noted," Sharp nods, "But I think this time she won't-" he freezes and quickly raises his foreleg.

They've reached the top floor of the castle, namely the Nightguard barracks. At this time of the earliest morning light, the castle is almost deathly silent other than the kitchens they passed on the way. However, the enchanted studs on Sharp's armor send a chill down his spine.

The rest of the Nightguards, while slightly tipsy after a few post-shift drinks, immediately go silent, completely focused on their surroundings.

"Commander?" whispers Gloom, all bad blood over Hollow Shades food forgotten instantly.

"Magic directly ahead. The barracks door. Not Luna's," replies Sharp, "Get in position, standard entry procedure."

"65536?" Gloom gasps.

Sharp scowls.

Of course that such a critical location would be stuffed with protective spells but Sharp's armor is attuned to all of that otherwise he would never get a moment of peace while inside the castle. The spell on the door, whatever it may be, is fresh and from an unknown source.

Night Hunter steps right in front of the door. As a wing razor user, he's strong enough to use the heavy variant which isn't just a blade on the edge of the wing for both aerial and close combat, but a thick, sharpened sheath. With a flick of his wing, a set of lightweight metal sheets slide out, covering his entire wing and turning it into a shield. Sharp, Gloom, Sunset, and Glimmer take places by the door, two on each side.