Shellstrings

by shortskirtsandexplosions


Assignments

Northern Manehattan – Royal Equestrian Garrison – Morning

Thud!

Flash Sentry slammed his locker shut, sealing away the saddlebag of belongings that he had scavenged from his family's apartment.

Then, with a firm breath, he turned tail and trotted across the main building of the compound.

The stallion entered an office where several uniformed stallions were seated at desks, scribbling away at multiple reports and files.

A lieutenant glanced up for half-a-second. "Hello again, Sergeant. Flash Sentry, was it?"

"Sir, yes, sir." Flash stood at attention, saluting. "Reporting for duty."

"Duty? What duty?" The officer stamped a file and flipped to another one. He looked up with an amused look. "You're on leave for at least another week."

Flash swallowed. "I was... hoping I could be of assistance around the garrison, sir. Perhaps you might need another set of helping hooves around here."

"Heh... so you're one of those guys, huh?"

Flash Sentry blinked. "Sir?"

"Hmmm... I'll see if I can set you to work on something for the extent of your stay. Oh! Shit... can't believe I almost forgot..." The lieutenant twirled about in his chair, reached towards a shelf on the wall, and produced an ornate little scroll. "Sergeant Flash Sentry, this arrived for you via alicorn flame at daybreak."

"Alicorn flame?" Flash Sentry's brow furrowed. He graciously accepted the parchment, noting Princess Cadance's royal seal. "It's from the Stewards of the Crystal Empire."

"Ah! Captain Shining Armor's post!" The lieutenant nodded. "Looks like you've got friends in good places."

"Wait... the Crystal Empire?" another officer glanced over from a nearby desk. A few other ponies blinked in surprise. "Are you the same 'Flash Sentry' that went ballistic on those yaks?"

Flash Sentry took a deep breath as he opened the seal. "An unfortunate piece of recent history that I do not wish to repeat..."

"Celestia on a bike, son! They should reassign you to the Tartarusian Guard!"

"Yeah! I bet a stallion as hardcore as you could single-hoofedly suplex Tirek!"

"Hahahah!"

"Put a sock in it, sergeants!" the lieutenant growled. "The soldier clearly regrets stepping out of line and wants to salvage his career." He squinted at Flash. "Don't you, son?"

"Most emphatically, sir..." Flash slurred as he unrolled the letter and read its contents. His muzzle hung open. "I've been waiting for this..."

"Reassignment, I'm guessing."

Flash merely nodded.

"Well?" one of the officers in the back craned his neck. "Where are they shipping your ass for all that craziness? Stalliongrad? Los Alamules?"

Flash's muzzle scrunched in confusion. "... ... ...where the Hell is 'Ponyville?'"

The office filled with snickers.

"Good luck with that place, Sergeant," the lieutenant droned, returning to his files. "That's certainly up the river, if I ever heard it."

"Yeah..." Flash rolled the letter again and stared confusedly into open space. "...at least you've heard of it." He blinked blankly. "I'm in it deep, aren't I?"


Ponyville – Sugarcube Corner – Certainly Not Up Any River

Garnet sat alone at a table, clothed in a dark cloak. His muzzle hung wide open as his eyes reflected moving monochromatic images.

Across the room from him, a bulky television set stood against the wall. Fillies and colts gathered around it on the floor while a horned creature flexed his biceps and shouted directly at the viewer:

"Do you find yourself being tread upon every day by your fellow pony neighbors?! Do you end up in last place when you know in your heart that you should be in first?! Well then—Iron Will's Megapowerful Motivational Seminar is just the thing for you! Join me and several thousand of your own fellow equine citizens as we fill in the seats of the Faust Stadium in Southern Fillydelphia this Sunday after next, and I will personally guarantee you a positive change to your self-conscious outlook! No more will you suffer the feeble need to let others steal the golden apple that's resting in front of you—metaphorically or literally! Do you want to grab life by the horns! Well, Iron Will can make that happen! So buy your tickets today! You won't regret it! Rrrrrghhh—Yeah! Look at these pythons!"

Garnet gulped. "Oh brave new world..." His crystalline ears twitched. "...that has such advertisements in it."

The front entrance to the eatery opened with a jingling bell. Bon Bon trotted inside. "Hello, Mrs. Cake." She waved as she grabbed a mug and poured herself some coffee. Yawning, she fished around her saddlebag and produced a bit or two which she placed on the front counter. In pivoting around—she spotted Garnet seated in his cloak. "... ... ..." Calmly, Bon Bon finished pouring herself some coffee... and then casually strolled over to the stallion's table. "Ahem..."

"... ... ...?" Garnet looked over. He jumped in place. "Oh! Uhm... Special Agent Sweetie Dr—"

"Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm—" Bon Bon clamped her own lips tightly together, gently shaking her head.

Garnet winced. "Uhm... what... wh-what was it again—?"

"Bon Bon." She smiled, sitting down next to him at the table. "Just 'Bon Bon.'" She took a sip of coffee and waved a hoof. "Do you mind?"

"N-not at all!" Garnet sat down as well, fidgeting with the folds of his cloak. "I was just... uhm..." He sighed, staring at the electronic box across the way. "...continuing to be mesmerized at the technology being employed today."

"To be perfectly honest, it kinda amazes me too," Bon Bon said. She took another sip of her coffee, glancing over as a tiny black and white stallion showed off a tiny black and white apple cart on the tiny black and white screen. "The whole town's hypnotized by the thing. According to what I hear from Chief Horizons, there's one or two of these things in Canterlot, and the rich elite are no less breathless."

"So... I'm not the only pony who stands to be amazed," Garnet remarked.

Bon Bon shook her head. "Beneath all the gizmos and magical mumbo jumbo—we're all mortals. Well..." She winked. "Most of us."

"It must be terribly expensive."

"To say the least."

"Might I inquire... h-how a town as humble as this managed to get ahold of it?"

"Funny you should ask," Bon Bon muttered, cradling her coffee container. "It was donated directly by Filthy Rich."

Garnet flung her a double-take. "The very same...?"

Bon Bon slowly nodded.

"You mean..." He leaned in, whispering. "...one of the financiers lives in this very town?"

"This town exists because Mr. Rich's father struck a deal with the Apple Family farmers. The partnership gave birth to Barnyard Bargains—one of the most successful retail chains in Equestria. One thing led to another... and now Filthy Rich lives up to his name." She drank some more coffee and exhaled. "At the present, Ponyville is the site of a brand new castle and a brand new Princess. I bet Mr. Rich hasn't even begun to count his blessings."

"I... wasn't aware that this spot on the map was that important," Garnet murmured. "I knew that the latest alicorn dwelled here, but a financier as well?"

"Mmmmm..." Bon Bon glanced aside at him. "Doesn't seem like that small of a coincidence that Mr. Rich would have joined Plasma's financial table at Blue Crescent."

"Maybe... maybe he believes he has a special connection with Princess Twilight Sparkle," Garnet remarked.

"Or..." Bon Bon waved a hoof. "...someone on the inside assumes he can make a connection."

"Oh?"

Bon Bon nodded. "My money's on either Fancy Pants or Princess Plasma herself."

"Mrmmmfff..." Garnet shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

Bon Bon raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"

"Just... it doesn't feel right to make these suppositions regarding our newest allies," Garnet muttered. "At least... not in public..."

"Can't blame you there," Bon Bon said. "Although... I've been here in Ponyville longer than you. I know what you can or can't get away with... conversation-wise." She smiled gently. "And—for what it's worth—the ponies of this town aren't too terribly nosy."

"If you say so..."

"Huh?"

"They can't seem to stop staring at me, is all," Garnet muttered.

"There's a reason for that, y'know." Bon Bon casually pointed at him.

The crystal pony looked at his bulky cloak. His shiny skin turned an extra shade of crimson. "Yes... I-I suppose I should be working on that..."

"And—as I said—I can help." Bon Bon smiled and stood up. "Here... follow me."

"Where are we going?"

"To my candy shop. It's high time I opened for business."

"I'm not much for sweets..."

"You don't have to have any," Bon Bon said. "Instead... we can work on a name."

"Hmmm..." Garnet nodded, standing up with her. "I suppose that would be appropriate."

"Plus..." Bon Bon droned, gesturing at the television set. "Less distractions."

"Heh. Agreed."