//------------------------------// // Lieutenant Sentry's Really Bad Day // Story: It's Tough be be Flash Sentry // by smxsonic //------------------------------// First Lieutenant Flash Sentry counted himself as one of luckiest ponies alive. He had a post in one of the friendliest towns in Equestria, he found a marefriend, an earth pony named Silky Shores, living near to his post. If he played his cards right, He would be the first Captain of the Twilight guard…. Or would it be the Friendship guard?  He mentally planned out the accoutrements for the captain’s position assuming each name, just in case. Either way, he was amazed at his advancement within the guard. Princess Twilight was the best boss ever. He saw the way she looked at him, and while she was pretty, he didn't see her in that way. Honestly, Twilight Sparkle didn’t even fit in the same mental box as ‘romance’ for him. After all, a relationship between a guard and his princess should always remain professional. Captain Shining would have made him run laps for even implying that he was mistaken in taking Princess Cadance for a wife, but that was how he felt. It was easy being a guard pony for the newest princess though. She wasn’t exactly the top of any political hit list. Her castle only built itself a couple of months ago. So there was a bit of a process looking for jobs for the guards. Flash Sentry had taken to using his additional free time to court his marefriend. Currently, Flash was guarding a mirror that sat in Twilight’s personal study. He wasn’t told specifics as to why the mirror was special, only that it was a portal. It really wasn’t his place to question, so he just stood there guarding a mirror. A pony of greater mental capacity than Flash would wonder about the mirror. A pony of lesser mental capacity would get distracted. Flash simply munched steadily on his lunch and guarded. The Mirror came to life as the Lavender Princess swooned into the castle. “Oh, hello, Princess. Back so soon?” Flash greeted happily bowing to his princess in precisely the level of deference his training had recommended. He wasn’t sure if it was the right amount, but so far at least Twilight had not complained Twilight stood straight up, blinked three times to clear the stars from her eyes, then glared at Flash Sentry in a way that could make Tartarus freeze over. Flash Sentry was reminded of the stories of what Twilight did to those who were late with their library books. This was the first sign that things weren’t going to go well for the guards pony. “There was a change in plans, Lieutenant,” Twilight replied in a tone that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. This was the second sign that Flash Sentry was up horseapple grove without a bucket. He wondered if he had not made the bow deferent enough. “I want you to meet me in my throne room in five minutes, Lieutenant.” The princess commanded, cooly. For some reason the phrase “Stuffed and mounted” flashed across Sentry’s mind. Meeting Princess Twilight  in her throne room could mean anything, but with the alicorn’s demeanor, Flash was pretty sure he was no longer in the running for the Twilight Guard. Five minutes passed and Flash walked up to Princess Twilight’s crystal throne, which of course completed a circle of 5 other crystal thrones, one for each of The princess’s friends. He bowed deeper, hoping to cover his mistake earlier. The cool gaze he was met with told him that this was about more than just etiquette. “Lieutenant, what is the job of the Royal Guard?” Twilight asked with all of the refinement of a steel spear. “T-To protect and serve the princesses, ma’am” Flash nervously proclaimed as he stood at attention. “And do you think you meet all of the qualities needed to meet that job description?” Twilight tilted her head to the side with a wicked little smile. “Well, Uh,-”  Flash was at a loss, never had he heard a more loaded question “On the first day of my vacation, I learned something, That how somepony acts is not enough to judge their character,” Twilight looked Flash dead in the eye, her half lidded stare pinning him to the floor. “You are to be put on leave, without pay!” Flashes eyes went wide, “W-What! Princess, I-” “Be glad that I’m just putting you on leave, I could have fired you.”  Twilight countered, stomping a hoof. “Yes, Princess,”  Flash said dejectedly, tail and ears drooping Twilight produced an envelope and gave it to Flash, “You are also to go to the Crystal Empire and give this to Captain Shining Armor, and he will give you further orders.” “But… I’m Suspended-” Flash corrected dumbly, eyes crossing in consternation. “From my gaurd, Flash, You still answer to the Crystal guard. In fact, you have an hour before the last train leaves, and you don’t want to know what happens to you if you're late.” Twilight gave him another dark glare, and for a second, Flash could have sworn that Princess Twilight’s eyes became devoid of any irises. Flash dashed home to pack: the train would  be departing in about 45 minutes. Being within a society that doesn’t wear clothes, ponies were wonderfully light packers. Flash hoped that he would be finished packing before- “Flashy! I’m Home~” the melodic voice sung across the apartment. -Silky Shores came home.   The milky blue earth mare walked into Flash’s room and hugged the nervous colt.  Her flaxen mane was tied into a hairband from work. “How was your day?” Silky asked into her coltfriend’s ear. Said coltfriend tensed up. This did not escape Silky Shores. “Flashy, what’s wrong?” Silky’s voice turned into a mixture of caution and concern “I got suspended,” Flash said, pawing the ground uncomfortably. “ Oh, how horrible! Why would the princess do that?” Silky’s asked sharply “ I don’t know, but I must have done something wrong, she was so angry!” Flash was flailing both mentally and physically at this point. “Well, At least we still have our date tonight” Silky purred, leaning warmly against her boyfriend as her whole body vibrated with her deep, purring, hum. Flash froze in place, like a dork caught in headlights, “Uuuuuhhhhh” “You did remember that we were going to the Canterlot Orchestra Concert tonight.” Silky’s voice became coarse. “I have a train to the Crystal Empire…. Princess Twilight sent me there to report to Captain Armor,” Flash confessed, abashedly. He couldn’t look Silky in the eye. He stared blankly just over Silky’s shoulder. “And you couldn’t tell the princess that you had a date?” Silky stomped a hoof frustratedly. “I...I…” Once more, Flash imitated the flighty Venitian deer. He wanted badly to flee. “ Flash Sentry, did I even cross your mind when the princess was suspending you?” Silky’s voice could have cut glass, and she was now giving Flash a glare even more evil and poisonous than Twilight’s own. “I… I…” Flash backed up carefully, one step at a time as his marefriend advanced, her face inches from his. “ The Princess was right! You need to learn how to treat a Lady!” With each step she slammed her hoof in the ground. “I’m going to the Concert without you,” She finished her rant by headbutting Flash hard in the shoulder,“maybe I’ll find a real stallion!” With that Silky Shores left, Flash stood there perplexed at what happened. Today was some otherworldly punishment for something he’s not so sure he did. What ever was happening, he got on the train and headed to the Crystal Empire. Flash was on loan from the Solar Guard when the Crystal Empire was rediscovered. He remembered the first few days on duty here. The constant threat of Sombra looming was unnerving, as if the mad king was always watching from within the castle. Now, he felt the same way. The Crystal ponies in the castle looked ready to run him through. The castle was eerily empty, either his fear-addled mind didn’t want to register the warm, inviting decorations that adorned the crystal walls, or somepony was cleaning them. The nervous colt plodded into the throne room as though he was attending his own funeral. His captain nonchalantly waltzed into position. “Well, I didn’t expect for Twily to send you back here, Lieutenant.” Shining Armor mused in his usual gentle fashion. “Captain, Princess Twilight wanted me to give this to you” Flash said, dispensing with the pleasantries. The Lieutenant gave the Captain Twilight’s letter, with all the grace of a frightened trainee giving a bomb technician a piece of unexploded ordnance. Shining gave the letter a read over. He frowned and read it more carefully, glancing back up at the increasingly terrified Flash Sentry at several points. He sighed loudly. “Well, There’s some good news, this isn’t your fault .” Shining shook his head, still frowning. “Then why am I being punished?”  Flash pleaded. “I’m a good soldier, right? All I wanted to do was serve the princess!” “Well, that’s classified “ Shining said averting his eyes from his subordinate. He pawed at the ground uncertainly, as though expecting Flash to ask what the bad news was. When Flash failed to,  Shining coughed gently “There is bad news.” “With all due respect, Captain,this whole day has been bad news,” Flash muttered, quietly enough that Shining wasn’t certain if Flash had actually said it, or if he was picking up a little of his wife’s telepathy. Shining chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head “Well, She’s given me official Princess orders to punish you to the full extent of my post…” Flash did not like the sound of that. He liked it even less when he heard what the punishment was to be. He was to polish every single inch of the Crystal Castle, including the Crystal Heart, with a toothbrush. It would have been a  tedious job even for a unicorn, but for a race that didn’t have have horns it was downright brutal. In summation: Flash Sentry was out several weeks pay, had lost his girlfriend, and now was being forced to polish a castle made entirely out of crystal in, what Shining helpfully pointed out was ‘only’ the ‘second’ least effective way possible. Flash was unwilling to ask what the least effective was. He had gone from the luckiest pony in the world to a creature with little more value than an explosive penguin. The only advantage was that he learned a great deal of new and creative invective while cleaning the bathrooms. Indicative that he had frequent opportunity to employ. He cursed what ever farcical force had gotten him into this mess Many miles away, across an interdimensional barrier,  Flash Sentry, lead guitarist from Flash Drive, sneezed. He was hiding in a dumpster from legions of angry students.. Flash was certain that all the heads of students searching the parking lot had just swiveled to face the dumpster that had just emitted a loud bang. He broke out in a cold hard sweat.. To be Continued...