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age3rcm β Comission: The1king
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Published: 2015-12-10 21:02:54 +0000 UTC; Views: 1174; Favourites: 50; Downloads: 11
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wanna comission me? check thisΒ link========================
animation comission for
it was a pleasure working for you, thanks!
i hope you enjoy it
it seems that everypone want this on its gallery
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Comments: 41
So cute! X3
May I ask, how much for this animation??
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I like how well-done the animation is; the expressions, the colors, the details, are all great! Of course, Luna's mane is more ethereal, but I can forgive how flat it looks since this is a short animation.
I would like to know more about this OC.
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Would you now? Well I am his owner so if you're interested in learning more I can give you just that.
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Yes please! Who is this pony?
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His name is Azure Night.
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Okay... what is his talent?
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SWEET! So... what's his backstory?
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Ho boy. That's gonna take a bit to explain because to fully understand it you have to go a bit beyond his own life into the past. It may be a bit too long to put it all in one comment so I will break it down into parts because that'd be the easiest. So let us begin.
Azure is the sole surviving member of a herd that came to call themselves "Nights". They were a sort of different breed of pony from those who currently inhabit Equestria, they were a bit more feral in their appearance and they were of course war-like. But the key thing here is that they were the original natives to Equestria. They inhabited the Everfree Forest as they believed that it made them stronger to live in an environment they could not easily control, where survival came down to raw skill and experience. Then the time came when the kingdoms of Pegasi, Unicorns and Earth Ponies came and founded the nation of Equestria. Of course the Nights' first impression was it was an invasion, though instead of attacking head on, they merely observed these ponies in shadow. Eventually they came face to face with the new Equestrians and demanded they leave. The Equestrians refused as they had no where else to go and conflict was close to breaking out. Thankfully, Clover the Clever and Starswirl the Bearded managed to make peace with the Nights and a truce was made. Since the old Kingdoms still stood but this new nation was still young, they had no real understanding of the land nor did they have a military of their own. So the Nights were offered goods as well as the promise that the Everfree was to remain untouched in exchange for their services as guides and guards. This worked out well for a time, but then Equestria finally announced their first rulers: Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.Β
These two alicorns disbanded the use of the Nights as guards as they were more than capable of being the defenders of Equestria given their superior magic. This left the Nights in a negative state as now they were left only to their forest. Then when the Two Sisters chose to build their castle within the Everfree, the Nights protested in outrage. With much convincing the sisters managed to appease the Nights by promising only to build on that one spot and no other part of the forest would be touched. Reluctantly they agreed. Many of the traditionalists of the Nights were furious and proposed attacking them but many opposed that idea as they knew the strength of Alicorns and they had come to respect the Equestrians as trustworthy (so this one transgression was accepted as a one off). Some would eventually venture out and begin mingling with Equestrian society and it seemed like the Nights were coming to an end. But then all of that changed when Discord rampaged across Equestria. The Equestrians suffered greatly, some of the Nights felt they should remain in the Everfree and let them suffer, but many more felt that although they are not Equestrians, it was still their home and they would not let it be destroyed. As they marched to take down Discord, the Nights witnessed the Two Sisters defeat him with the Elements of Harmony. This was a moment that forever changed the Nights.
They had only heard of the power of Alicorns and only ever seen the princesses from a distance, but never had they seen anything like this. Although two sisters defeated Discord, only one captivated the Nights. The younger sister, Princess Luna. The power she wielded, how she brought the night and what she stood for. All of this blew the Nights away. They thought she was a goddess and they prostrated themselves before her. They would repeatedly beg her to allow them to be her guards, those who would fight and die if necessary for her, to defend Equestria from dusk til dawn in her name. But repeatedly she shot them down as she, like her sister, felt that Equestria needed no guard force. Finally, the Nights all gathered before her and swore a blood oath to defend her, the night and Equestria in her honor, that they would remain loyal to her even beyond the grave and that their descendants will carry on their will to do the same. She protested but each and everyone of them did it.
Then came that fateful evening when Luna became Nightmare Moon. From the Night's compound they heard a commotion coming from the castle. A few rushed ahead to see what happened, when they arrived they saw something that horrified them. They saw Celestia use the Elements of Harmony to seal her sister within the moon. Having not seen what happened prior, they were immediately outraged and charged at Celestia, who was still injured. Luckily for her she managed to teleport before they got to her and she wound up in Canterlot. Those Nights who witnessed this told the others and tensions billowed. It did not take long for the Nights to take up arms and march to Canterlot to avenge their princess. Although the Equestrians outnumbered the Nights, they had not army, no guard and no real defenses to stop the Nights. They did however defend the city bravely as they knew Celestia had been injured and they believed the Nights were trying to assassinate her. It was a long and bloody night but the Nights were pushing closer and closer to the town center where Celestia was. But as they reached the gates, someone stepped out of the building. It was one of their own, a Night. He demanded that the Nights lay down their arms and surrender. One of the captains cried "Traitor" but before he could move, the Night ran him through with his sword. Nights were not known for surrendering, but they knew this Night. His name was Lone Star, the most talented and respected fighter the Nights have produced in generations. This act cause that one moment's hesitation which Star Swirl used to immobilize the Nights and destroy their weapons. Lone Star had turned on his own herd. They were subsequently exiled from Equestria, their ancestral birth place, never to return. They set up their new compound on the border of Equestria, and despite their hatred for the Equestrians, they never forgot their oath and so continued to defend Equestria's borders from all threats that sought to enter, and there they remained for 1000 years.
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....wow....just...wow
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Yeah, and that's not even Azure's personal story XD that's just background so the rest is easier to understand and put into context.Β
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So... Azure is from a race that adores Luna. No wonder he seems to have a romantic interest in her.
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Well.....kinda. But we'd be getting head of ourselves there cause it's not the sole, real reason for that. But again, we'd be getting ahead of ourselves if we went straight explaining that now. Any other questions before we continue?Β
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Nope *gets popcorn* go ahead.
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Alrighty. So skip ahead a few centuries and the Nights still defend the borders of Equestria, patrolling and keeping an eye out for any invading forces or monsters. Azure is born to the leader of the Nights and is raised like the rest to be a warrior. Since his 6th year he has trained in many aspects such as combat, survival, tactics and stealth. Despite being a unicorn, he never had a real grasp for magic, only being able to use levitation and only for brief moments. This didn't stop him though and he quickly became one of the best hoof-to-hoof specialists in his class. His strategies were never that great but he always came through in the end and clasped victory from the jaws of defeat. Thus when he reached the age of 14 it was time for his Rite. The Rite is the coming of age passage that all Nights must face. They are left in the wilderness for 3 moons (months) with no equipment. They are to survive this trial for the entire 3 moons and should they succeed, they return a true Night. The only thing they are given are these words "Find yourself". For the Rite is not so much a test to see how well they can survive impossible odds, but more so to find themselves, find out who they truly are. It comes to no surprise that many earn their cutie mark in their Rite as it's a truly soul searching experience. Since ancient times, the Nights believed it was at your breaking point that clarity is obtained and one truly discovers who they are.
It was not unusual for more than one Night to take the Rite at the same time, and so it was for Azure and his cousin Mourning Star. They had been rivals in their academy since day one and this to them was the final test to prove who was better. As per the tradition, they did not work together, on the contrary, they competed regularly. Stealing each other's gathered food and fresh water, sabotaging shelters, fighting over territory. It got ruthless as the moons passed they became more and more violent towards each other as surviving on what little food and water became more and more difficult. It was in their final confrontation that things truly came to a head. Mourning Star had completely lost his mind. Being in the wilderness, surrounded by predators and always wondering when the next attack will come had addled his mind. He became convinced of his destiny, that he would return and lead the Nights back to Equestria and finish what their ancestors started, to crush the ponies who exiled them and mount the heretic Celestia's head on a pike. But Azure knew better, he knew he couldn't let that happen. The Nights may be strong but they couldn't hope to win. As the heir to the herd, he couldn't stand and risk letting them all be killed. There was no reasoning with Mourning and the fight lasted for many hours until finally Azure managed to stab Mourning in the heart with a sharpened stick, but not before the claw on Mourning's wing had slashed Azure's face. Azure stood over the now lifeless body of his cousin in utter shock. He had not even noticed the blood tricking down him due to the rain. Everything just seemed to stop. Sure, he never liked Mourning, but he had never wanted to kill him. Azure had never killed a pony before, let alone one of his own kin. He wandered for many hours in a stupor, not knowing or caring where he was or where he was going. Everything just seemed to stop. When he finally collapsed he began feeling the urge to give up. He didn't know what to do and he couldn't believe his own cousin would turn to madness as he did. Azure worried he might succumb to the same madness and was ready to just end it all, but at that moment he had a vision. A voice called out to him. He could not see the figure, save for a shadowy outline. It told him to get on his hooves, Nights don't surrender. Then the voice declared itself as Lone Star, the Night who had betrayed them. He told Azure of the truth of that night. That Luna had fallen to darkness and attacked her sister who in desperation sealed her within the moon. Lone Star was one of those who saw the event and as he listened to the Nights fuming over what to do, he grew concerned. He had to know the truth so he rushed ahead to Canterlot in search of Celestia. There he found her and though every instinct he had told him to attack her, he listened as she told him what had happened. Although this did not dampen his rage much, he understood. He warned Celestia that the Nights were on their way to kill her for what she did and there would be little they could do to stop them. Celestia asked if they truly hated her so much, but Lone Star said that it was more than that. The elders of the Nights who still clung to the old ways have been looking for an excuse to rid the land of the Equestrians for a long time and now they had one. They were going to use the outrage of the other Nights to fuel their vendetta. The only way to stop them was to kill these members and then force the rest into exile. Most of Celestia's advisers said that all the Nights should be purged as a precaution, but Lone Star said that it would be unncessary. They asked him how he could hope to compensate the damages and lives lost by the "barbarians", to which Lone Star said he'd offer his own. They said that it wasn't enough, but Star Swirl interjected then saying that if it was not for him then there's little reason to think anyone would survive. Before Celestia could give her opinion, the Nights were already outside the doors, Lone Star turned to face them. He dispatched the elders in one swift strike and then he and Star Swirl halted the Nights' assault. Once the Nights were exiled, Lone Star entered the chamber again and faced Celestia, waiting for her to hold up her end of the bargain (which she never truly accepted). He told her to do it repeatedly though she remained silent. Finally she asked if he could ever forgive her for what she had done. Lone Star replied: "Could you?" With that she bowed her head, cried a little then reduced Lone Star to dust. The Nights were wiped from the history books and became the thing of legends, the shadows that crept in the Everfree that carried off foals if they came to close.Β
After Lone Star finished his tale, he told Azure that he did this to save the Nights. Not because he didn't think they could win the fight, but because they had become something they were not. He would not let them be mislead by those who held onto their traditions and he would not let them be reduced to savage murderers. The Nights' Honor was all they had and he wished to preserve that. Even if they were remembered as boogie men, they still had not become mere beasts. Their oath may have been to protect Luna, but that did not mean they had to slaughter a nation in revenge. They are not barbarians, they are warriors. They have honor and purpose. Lone Star said that his personal honor meant little as he was just one stallion. He may have been the bravest, strongest, most skilled and greatest of them all, but he was still mortal and he was still just one stallion. What mattered was the herd and their honor and that is what he died to protect. He left Azure with those words. Azure woke up in a daze but after hearing the story and what Lone Star told him, he found new determination, he knew who and what he was. He was Azure Night, one who would uphold their oath to the bitter end, one who will protect not just Equestria, the night and Luna, but the herd as well. Preserve their honor. One day even he knew he would lead them back to Equestria, not to conquer, not to seek revenge, but to earn back their honor in the eyes of the Equestrians. On that day his Rite ended. He entered it with nothing but returned with some scars, determination and his cutie mark. Azure had earned the right be named Azure Night.Β
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Any questions? Or may I continue further?
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Years later, Azure has proven himself as a capable Night and eventually earned the rank of Commander, leading his own squad on patrols around the Equestrian Border. Everything seemed right with the world, but you know how that song and dance goes, quickly things took a dark turn. It was the eve of the longest day of the 1000th year since their exile and nothing seemed unusual, except that the sun didn't rise when it was supposed to. Something was wrong and the Nights knew it, but before any of them noticed the Mare in the Moon was gone, they heard a sound coming from the wilderness, a howling most foul. A massive pack of Timber Wolves was charging the compound. This was very unusual but the Nights were not concerned, they had faced Timber Wolves countless times before. As the battle began a green mist fell upon the compound. Suddenly all the wood in the compound came to life and formed more Timber Wolves. They were being over run as their homes turned into the wolves and suddenly they began falling fast. Azure's father told him to take his little sister and run before it was too late. When Azure tried to protest, his father hit him over the head telling him it was an order. Azure threw his sister on his back and ran for it, all the while being chased by Timber Wolves. They chased him til they came to a cliff. Azure put his sister on the ground and got between her and the wolves, ready to protect her til the end. He fought hard but soon one wolf he threw over the cliff bit down on his leg and dragged him over the edge as well. The last thing Azure remembers was hearing his sister screaming his name as he plunged into the river below, and then everything went dark.
He awoke several hours later down stream covered in bruises, cuts, cracked ribs and a fractured leg. He suddenly remembered what happened and limped back to the cliff as fast as he could, but when he arrived all he saw was a bloody stain on the ground. Azure collapsed in his grief, he couldn't believe what had happened, he'd failed to protect his little sister. He managed to drag himself back to the compound to find it littered with bodies and burning branches, the place was in ruins. He found his parents in their home, huddled together, dead and bloody, his father still with his blade between his teeth. Azure searched for any survivors, anyone who might still draw breath, but found no one. He was truly alone. His whole world fell apart. He had failed. His herd was gone and with them his purpose. Everything went dark as he once again was ready to give into despair. But another vision came to him. This time it was a mare's voice, one he did not recognize. He couldn't tell who the figure was as they were in shadow but she told him that this was not his end. He said that it was over, there was no point, that he'd failed and now he has nothing left. The voice told him that he still lives and that his herd will live on in him. It's not too late to gain back their honor for honor transcends life and death. If he gives up then the Nights would fade from memory forever and then he will truly have failed. Giving up is a foreign concept to a Night so he must get up and continue to fight. Azure was unsure but the voice told him to look within himself and he'll know what he must do. Then she was gone. Azure woke up to find that night had fallen. He looked around the compound in sorrow, but then he looked up to the moon. Every Night looks up to the Mare in the Moon when it rises for strength but this night gave him a sudden start. The Mare in the Moon was gone! He couldn't believe it, but he knew what it must mean, that their Princess had returned. Azure knew at that moment what he had to do. After he finished patching himself up, he gathered all the remains of his herd he could, placed them on a pyre and lit it. He then gathered his things, burned the rest of the compound to the ground and set off to Canterlot. He had never been in Equestria before but he knew he must get there for his princess had returned and he would do his Nightly duty and serve her. He would prove himself worthy and gain back the honor of the Nights they had lost 1000 years ago so that they may all finally rest in peace.
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Any questions or should I keep going?
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Sorry, just never know if you have questions or notΒ
Anyway, Azure began his quest to Canterlot. He of course never been there but given the maps the Nights held onto he had a decent idea of which direction to go. As he ventured deeper he would stop at inns to rest a bit and listen in on the goings on in Equestria. He had overheard how Nightmare Moon returned and that Princess Celestia's student and 5 others used the Elements of Harmony to defeat her. At first he was angry but when he then heard that she was restored to her old Luna self, his heart jumped. The princess was indeed back, he had to keep moving. The closer he got to his destination, the more he tried to not draw attention to himself. Although no Equestrian had seen a Night in over 1000 years, he couldn't be sure if any might notice what he was and cause him some trouble. At long last he reached the gates of Canterlot. It was much larger than he had expected and far more elegant than anything he had encountered. He was a little disappointed in the lack of security but not enough to deter him. Once he reached the gates of the castle, he was stopped by two guards. They asked him who he was and what business he had being there. He told them he had come to serve his princess, of course they thought he meant Celestia at first but when he corrected them and said that he came to serve his true princess, Princess Luna, they grew suspicious and requested he lift his hood and reveal himself. He refused and before they could restrain him he drew one of his swords in defiance. Then the gate opened and Shining Armor came through and demanded he put the weapon down and come quietly or he'd use proper force. Azure said "You will try". Shining Armor took out his spear and the two began to fight. The fight didn't last that long as Azure dodged what ever Shining attempted, even ducking his magic blasts. Azure managed to disarm Shining and stood over him, but then nearly every guard in Canterlot had him marked with bows, spears and magic. He was surrounded and he knew he stood no real chance. Shining Armor got up and took Azure's swords from him. Azure was then taken to the dungeon to await interrogation. Once in there, Shining began questioning Azure as to who he was and what his purpose is. After all there was something truly off about him as it wasn't every day that a hooded stranger enters Canterlot, let alone one who was announcing his utter loyalty to a princess who had been gone for 1000 years and denounced Celestia entirely. Every time Shining tried to get answers out of Azure, he'd only be returned with sneers and insults ranging from "I counted no less than 16 flaws in your security upon entering the city, and 7 more as you brought me down here" and "The standards of sun's guards must be truly low". Eventually Azure lifted his hood to reveal his full face. Shining and the other guard took a step back for they knew what he was. Like all Nights, Azure's ears had the distinctive tufts of hair at the tips, and being a unicorn Night, his horn did not grow straight but curved back slightly. Each Night version of the 3 types of ponies had features that were distinctly rare if not unheard of in Equestrian ponies. Their Pegasi had a clawed thumb on their wings (still feathered) and the Earth Pony variants had long tails ending in a tuft of hair (much like a Kirin's). All Equestrian Guards were taught in the academy to recognize these, but none had seen one in 1000 years, couple this with the return of Princess Luna, this caused them a bit of concern.
Shining Armor requested for Princess Celestia to come in and verify it as she would most certainly recognize these features as she is the only pony (apart from her sister) that still lives who ever saw a Night. When she entered and saw Azure, she did not flinch, blink or change her expression in the slightest for she had been expecting this to happen soon enough. She asked him why he is here, to which he replied "You know why. I am here to serve my princess, the one whom after 1000 years of banishment has finally returned to the throne." Celestia then asked why she would allow it, after all what reason to suspect that he's not here for revenge. Azure told her that he has no reason for revenge as he knew the truth, his princess clearly does not seek it since her reformation so he sees no purpose in trying to avenge an ancient grudge. She asked why only he had returned, where were the rest of the Nights, did they not wish to return or did they fear the retribution in coming back after being exiled. Azure then explained what had happened to the Nights and that he is all that remains. Celestia's calm demeanor faltered for a split second, and Azure could not miss the hint of sorrow in her face. She asked again why she should consider allowing him to join the guard. He then told her that he is merely upholding the honor and oath of his herd, that he would see their glory return and no longer be seen as the boogeymen to be feared, but the true warriors of Equestria, those who defended the borders and helped ensure these 1000 years of peace the the Equestrians had taken for granted, knowing not that it was paved with the bodies of proud Nights who had every reason to let it fall but still stood to the end. Celestia left the room followed by Shining Armor who asked her if she was seriously considering letting him join after his insolence, violent genes and unknown motives. But Celestia knew Azure spoke only the truth. She agreed to let Azure enter the Royal Guard Academy, under close supervision of course, and she emphasized that until the proper time he was not to come in contact with Luna, just in case it triggers something violent.Β
And so Azure was reluctantly thrown into the Academy. Although he proved far too skilled and experienced to require such, it was standard procedure. He put up with it, as well as the discrimination he got while he was in it. He did not complain as he was picked for the more menial tasks nor when he was taunted (even after proving he was greater in combat than the instructors). Within time he eventually graduated from the Academy despite their reluctance to allow it. At the ceremony Azure had hoped to finally see his princess for the first time, but of course she was not present. Celestia presided over it and permitted him to be a member of the Midnight Guard, guarding Canterlot during the evening hours. He had hoped this would give him the chance to finally meet his princess but he was always tasked with standing guard at entrances that no one wandered through, patrolling nearly always deserted corridors or even the gardens. After a couple weeks of this he grew annoyed, he had already figured that they were trying to keep him away from Luna, probably to prevent him from doing anything stupid like in sighting a rebellion or something. After all, someone who was clearly very zealous in his loyalty to her was quite dangerous. It's not that Celestia didn't trust Luna, it was that the concern was that Azure might take things too far and try to appease her by trying to make her the sole ruler of Equestria.Β
But one night, it all changed. As Azure was patrolling the Canterlot Gardens, he heard something coming from within. At first he thought it was just one of the many birds, but it sounded different. It didn't' sound like any bird he had heard before, it was far to graceful and elegant. As he journeyed deeper to find the source, he began feeling something within himself he had not felt before. He could swear he was hearing the voice of a goddess. And then he saw her. A blue mare in the middle of the Garden. She was wearing a dark cloak but he could see her horn easily as well as her mane that shone in the night sky, but it was her eyes that he noticed more. They shown with a radiance that made the stars in the night sky, nay, the moon itself appear to fade. She was singing as she frolicked through the Garden, and Azure felt bewitched. For a moment he was unsure if he had walked into a dream or had been enchanted by some form of spell. He could not take his eyes off her for he had never seen a pony more beautiful than her before. It wasn't long (though to Azure it could have been days) before she noticed him. Although she was surprised at first, she smiled and greeted him. Azure could not find his voice but somehow managed to utter "hullo". She said she noticed his armor and asked if he was one of the royal guard. Azure nodded and felt his face getting hotter. She asked if he was just passing by ready to get off his shift or if she just woke him up. Azure managed to sort of find back his voice and said that he was wide awake, it was just another patrol and he was just gazing at the moon and stars when he heard her voice and couldn't help but follow. She asked if he was just another one of the guards on the night shift because they lucked out. He told her that he requested it, he was more comfortable during the evening hours as things were more peaceful and you could see a side of the world that few others care to. The mare smiled and said that few seem to share his feelings on the matter. He told them he was used to it, after all as a Night he worked best...well....at night. She gasped and asked him if he was really a Night, one of the warriors of the natives to the Everfree. He was amazed that she knew this and said yes. She told him that she wondered if she'd ever see a Night in the royal guard and then asked him if there were any others. He told her that he was the only one. She asked if they were still somewhere in the Everfree, but he told her that they were all gone, gone from this world. She gasped and said she had no idea. He told her that they had been exiled for attempting to enact revenge on Celestia for banishing their princess within the moon, for 1000 years they defended the borders of Equestria, but now only he remains. He told her that he returned in the hopes of serving that princess, but so far he feels he has only become something more of a guard dog for Celestia, kept at doing menial tasks and he wondered if he'd ever get to finally see the face of the princess he had come to serve. She asked him if he even knew what she looked like. He told her of the Night's Tapestry, a relic from their Exile which told their story. He said that it had a depiction of her but nothing truly to go on. He knew she was an Alicorn with a mane like starlight, wings that carried her gracefully among the stars, magic of the likes none could imagine. He said that the Nights of old saw her as a goddess. The mare laughed at the "goddess" line, to which Azure turned with a slight frown. He told her that this is all he knew. She then asked him for his name, he told her that it was Azure, Azure Night. Before she could tell him her name, a voice came from a balcony on the Castle. Azure didn't quite catch it but the mare clearly knew who or what it was and she began walking away in haste. Azure followed her but she began running. He begged her to stop, but she only apologized and said she must go. He then asked her to at least give him her name. At that moment her cloak billowed and Azure saw two beautiful wings spread as she took off in flight towards the Castle. She turned around and said "My name is Princess Luna." And she was off. Azure was dumb struck. He could not believe it, it must have been a dream or some kind of spell. There was no way that was her. She was definitely an alicorn but some of her features didn't match the descriptions he knew. It must have been a trick, but as she flew higher he saw her mane begin to flow like in the tapestry, her grace in the air was exactly as he was told and he saw her lower the moon with her magic. Azure's jaw hit the ground, all he could do was stare in silence as he watched her fly onto a balcony and enter the castle. Shock and excitement filled him. He had met her, even talked to her, he couldn't believe it, it was like a dream come true. As he trotted back to the barracks, nothing could remove the grin on his face. As he got into his bunk, all he could think about was the princess. She was more than he could have imagined. But then he thought "and she was really cute too". This thought just made his whole face burn and he felt as though his stomach did a back flip. He didn't understand what was coming over him, but he convinced himself it was just excitement over being the first Night in 1000 years to see the princess, let alone talk to her.
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Ah, I see. Very nice!
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So Azure's career continued as a member of the Royal Guard, though now things were looking brighter for him. Luna had been gaining back her strength after her reformation and so was moving more and more freely from the castle during the night, which Azure was always ready for duty so he could witness her raising the moon every night. She would trade greetings and sometimes a few other words with him as she passed and eventually she began requesting him to accompany her as one of her escorts (Shining ensured that at least 2 other guards were part of the escort as well). Although it always made Azure nervous, Luna would strike him up for conversation, asking him about what the Nights had been doing for 1000 years while she in turn would tell him about her experiences before her banishment. He learned first hand (or hoof) from her what it was like for her to go through what she did, and although it did make his blood boil, her more optimistic outlook on the matter now quelled that rage (much to the other guards' relief as Azure was known in the Academy and sometimes within the barracks of hospitalizing any who made a rude remark about her as not every pony trusted her yet even though Celestia assured them nothing was wrong). Azure and Luna became rather friendly, to the point Luna would often sternly ask him to refer to her as Luna rather than "Princess" or "Your grace" or really any formality, but he constantly needed to be reminded.
It wasn't long before Discord returned to Equestria, Azure knew that Luna was not quite yet at full strength so he offered to try and stop him, but Luna told him that her sister's apprentice is on the job. This made Azure quite frustrated, even after Discord's defeat and all of Equestria celebrated the Mane 6 as heroes, Azure had heard that the Mane 6 had nearly failed as they were corrupted by his magic for a time. Azure felt that this, along with how easily Discord managed to take the Elements and how unless the bearers of the Elements are in physical contact with them, relying on the Elements of Harmony is rather dangerous. For about a week or so Azure pleaded with Luna to allow him to form a team that would be Equestria's first and last line of defense. A squad that could handle what no other could. After much negotiations, Luna agreed. Azure then set out to find this squad. He knew better than to look for members in the Royal Guard or the Wonderbolts, his opinion of them given his own experiences were that they were little more than glorified lawn gnomes. They lacked the training, experience and will to do what has to be done, so he began outsourcing and started looking for anyone who fit the bill.Β
The first member he discovered was a Zebra named Moonshine. Moonshine came from the forbidden lands beyond the Everfree, the homelands of the Zebra. He came to Equestria to seek his purpose as he was a failed healer in his homeland. He tried setting up a shop in Manehattan but was a failure there as well. In despair he wandered off into the Everfree, not caring where he wound up or what became of him. But then a Manticore attacked him, acting upon reflex he used some of his shaman magics to blast it's arm off. As it limped back into the shadows, Azure had arrived. He was wandering in his ancestral homeland when he heard an explosion. Then he saw Moonshine and the Manticore's arm. Azure asked what happened, but Moonshine was unsure himself as he never intended to do it. Impressed by it, Azure asked Moonshine what he was doing. Moonshine told his story and when he finished Azure just smiled. He told Moonshine that he knows exactly what he can do, if he truly wants to find purpose he should join Azure's squad to defend Equestria. Moonshine was of course astounded, he didn't know what to say. He said that he just wanted to heal others, but Azure told him that there were other ways of healing, by using his real talents he can heal more than just regular sickness and injury, he can heal a nation of the sickness that plagues it, the darkness and the dangers that lurk within. It took much coaxing but Moonshine agreed, crying silent tears of joy of finally finding someone who saw real purpose in him. Azure had found his first member.
The second member turned out to be a dragon named Crater. He wasn't a full sized one, only about a head or more taller than Azure as well as having no wings. Crater had never really fancied trinkets that his kin were famously fond of, rather he saw his strength and victories as greater treasures. Fighting came to him very naturally and he favored a large stone hammer as his weapon of choice. He had grown bored of fighting other dragons and ventured out into other lands of Equestria seeking fights. He would sometimes just barge into inns looking for the toughest stallion in town, sometimes he'd take up the job of bounty hunter or bodyguard with the prospect of worthy opponents as his only payment.....well that and food. In fact he was just entering a town out in the middle of nowhere and began wrecking the place looking for anyone who was a challenge. Thankfully for those ponies, Azure had heard of this dragon that was going around causing trouble from some of the other guards in Canterlot so he and Moonshine went to investigate. Azure challenged Crater to single combat, to which Crater accepted eagerly. For a day and a half they fought without stopping, until finally Crater fell to his knees unable to keep up. Azure, though winded and banged up, held his blade to Crater's throat and asked him if he wanted to keep going. Crater couldn't believe this, a pony of all things, had bested him. Crater told Azure to finish it, he lost. Azure removed his blade, which angered Crater as he believed Azure was mocking him by showing him pity. Azure said that Crater's wasting his potential fighting those who are beneath him and then offered him a choice; join him or be put down. Crater growled, but then he stopped to think about the matter. If Equestria needed a pony that skilled to defend it, and he was looking for members to aid him in that defense, then surely he would be set up against truly powerful enemies, perhaps even ones that would further prove worthy challenges to Crater's skill. Crater agreed then and there, stating that if it means he gets to fight more powerful foes and prove his strength then he would be daft to refuse. And so Azure found his second member.
The third and final member was surprisingly found in Canterlot, a griffin named Nightengale. Nightengale was born in Griffinstone but her family moved from place to place looking for bits. She grew up in just about every slum in Equestria. Where her mother was willing to sell anything she could find and her father scrounged, Nightengale soon found she had a real talent for theft. Even after her father succumbed to drink and her mother of illness, Nightengale kept at her burgling and she became very good at it. Always stealing from those whom she knew could afford it (basically only the rich) she gained a reputation as she moved from place to place stealing anything that looked valuable enough and wasn't bolted to the ground. This thievery made her quite renown and so every royal guard was on the look out. Luckily for her she was also very good at escaping, even forsaking her advantage of flight as it'd give her away. That night seemed like any other, except Azure had set a trap for her. He knew griffins better than most, having dealt with them in his years in exile, so he knew the 2 things no griffin could resist; gold and eclairs. So he staked out Gustave le Grand's shop, watching for any and all griffins that entered. Griffins were not that common in Canterlot so when Nightengale showed up he was ready for her. As she exited the shop, Azure, Moonshine and Crater sprung into action. Their first attempt to capture her failed but luckily Moonshine had managed to slip an enchanted coin on her that would allow them to track her. Of course she would never suspect such a thing and even if she did, as a griffin she'd never throw a coin away. They pursued her for days, small skirmishes broke out but lasted only seconds before she escaped again. But they were never far behind. Eventually they managed to corner her, she was tired, out of arrows and knives and she had no where left to run. Azure congratulated her on the valiant effort, but the game was over. She demanded to know how they managed to track her, Azure told her of the coin, to which she got only angrier for she had been so easily tricked. He told her that he knew of her skills and that without the help of Moonshine and Crater along with careful planning he may never had caught her, clearly her reputation preceded her. Β Azure then offered her a choice, she could go to prison and rot in there for the several dozen counts of grand theft, or she could join his squad and put her talents to better use. Although she didn't fancy the idea of taking orders, she also wasn't at all interested in going to jail, so she agreed. At first she wasn't into the idea of the team, but as the four of them continued to work together, she (as well as the others) began to enjoy theΒ comradery, and so Azure gained his final member. Once all assembled Azure told them of why he gathered them. They were truly the best at what they do and they all have talents that would prove useful. Their reasons for joining may be different, but their mission is still the same; to defend Equestria, to be it's first and last line of defense, to be the tip of the spear because no one else can. With that Azure christened them with their squad name: The Mares Marginis, the Sea of the Edge (named after an actual land formation on the moon). Called such for they are the blade's edge that Equestria balances on between peace and destruction. Should they give but an inch, everything could fail.Β
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Very interesting. You should write that into a book, and you don't have to tell me any more if you don't want to.
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So I've been told XDΒ
I do have more though, such as where Azure was during the Changeling Invasion, when the Plundervines spread, the Tirek incident as well as what he was in the three major alternate timelines we saw in the Season 5 finale. 
Then there's the spin-off story (which actually splits off from the canon version after the Tirek Incident).
I don't have a problem continuing if you are interested, if you got the gist of it and don't need anymore that's perfectly fine.
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Well, I would like to hear more, but it is kinda long and I don't want to bother you
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Oh it's no problem really, I just wanted you to be aware that his story isn't really short, I mean I'm giving you the abridged version
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Yeah I can tell. I like how well thought-out it is.
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