Artist:
I've always enjoyed the works of Equestria-Prevails and others who do images focusing on the guard and the like, and so wanted to try my hand at one too. Sure, Equestria is a pretty peaceful place aside from the runaway growth of baby dragons or rampaging escapee from Tartarus, but they do have a military and somepony had to be holding the line for those years before Twilight pulled her nose out of a book and found the Elements of Harmony. I like to think that Captain Spitfire of the Wonderbolts and Captain Armor of the Royal Guard must have proven themselves in a scrape or two as they moved up the ranks.
These two make an interesting and fun contrast, a half-generation before Twilight and Dash. I also enjoy the odd coexistence of the flyboy militiary garb of the Wonderbolts and the high fantasy armor of the Royal Guard in the show. Did these two know each other or ever serve together? (Soarin at least went to his wedding.) While we've seen that the Wonderbolts are a military flight group, are they completely separate from the guard Shining commands? Is he even still in command now that he's Prince of the Crystal Empire? Hard to say, but fun to speculate on (for me, at least.)