Chapter Eleven
Gentle Step
For the first time in her life, Gentle Step did not want to go to work and would have liked to instead just lay about in her home. Regrettably though, the main reason for her desire had to leave, with Mems informing her that he had to attend pressing matters with his Queen and she had no reason to stay behind. Dressing herself in her armour, she could not hold back a small smile on her lips as she remembered everything that had happened the night before.
Even as she made it to her own guard’s headquarters, she couldn’t keep the edges of that smile from showing slightly with more than one of her guards either blinking at her or nodding at her.
“Good morning, Captain,” her lieutenant called as she passed by his office. “Feeling better today?”
“Considerably,” Gentle Step replied. “And you, Lieutenant Flight?”
The other unicorn chuckled. “For a stallion of my age, not bad.” Gentle Step nodded, remembering how much older her lieutenant was than her. Mist Flight had been second-in-command to the then-Captain General when Gentle had first entered guard training, and was well qualified to take a Captain’s position himself. He’d always declined though, saying he liked where he was and she had to admit she would have been lost without him and his advice. “And you did fine yourself last night, Captain, if I heard correctly.”
Gentle raised an eyebrow at the comment but decided not to press the issue. Instead, she gave him a nod of her head and entered the Captain's Office. Of the five desks, soon to be six, only those of the South and North Captains were filled, with both mares giving her wide grins that immediately put her on edge.
“So,” Sweet drawled out, tapping her desk with her hooves excitedly. “Tell us everything that happened last night.”
Gentle gave her a look. “I do not know what you are talking abo-”
Violet simply slammed a newspaper onto her desk, the once respected Equestria Daily, and flipped to the gossip column section that had a picture of her, Mems, Lieutenant Even Hoof and his wife at the bar last night. “That is just the Captain’s-” Sweet’s magic flipped the page to show a wide shot of Memorizing and her kissing. This explains the reason why my Guards are acting so unusual, she thought to herself. She flicked her eyes at the paper and then at her Captains and let out an internal sigh. “You will not leave me alone about this until I speak, correct?”
Both of the mares nodded their heads with wide smiles on their faces and Gentle let out a proper sigh, removing her helmet as she moved to her desk. “The kiss last night was… amazing,” she admitted, a blush creeping onto her face with the two mares crowding her desk. “I never knew that kiss-” she began before she caught herself but Sweet was too smart to let it pass by.
“Oh my Luna, that was your first time kissing wasn’t,” Sweet’s grin grew wider with Violet just smirking the entire time. “Next you’ll say that you two went to your place and-”
Gentle must have blushed more as Sweet squeed and tackled her over in a hug. “Congrats dear!” Gentle was about to order the other mare off of her when Violet suddenly hugged her from the other side, causing Gentle to concede she would not win this battle. With a bemused look on her face, she waited until the two had finally let her loose, then cleared her throat.
“As you can see, we went out together,” she started. “By the way, due to their treatment of one of our Captains, The Old Terminal Bar no longer has my endorsement.”
Violet frowned. “Even after the Pardon, they didn’t want to serve a Changeling?”
Gentle nodded with a snort. “Fortunately, the one where we met Sweet’s lieutenant and his wife were far more accepting, and that is why The Blue Mountain now has my endorsement.”
Sweet nodded. “If Even hasn’t spread the word to my other guards yet, I will.”
“Onto other busi-”
“Sorry for my tardiness,” Blazen said as he trotted into the office, closing the door behind him. “I had to help Sweet Blossom this morning; she had an emergency and I was nearby.”
“How is your great granddaughter doing, by the way?” Sweet Surprise asked as she moved to her desk. “And the rest of your herd, by the way.”
“They are all fine, several are starting to date which is always a pleasure to deal with,” the elderly stallion said before looking at Gentle with a grin emerging across his old face. “Speaking of which, how did your date with Memorizing go?” Gentle felt her lips flap for a moment before she saw him raise a hoof. “I have to deal with more mares going on their first dates than you can imagine and I know all the signs, Captain General, so do not try to hide it from me.”
Gentle barely held in a sigh. “Why don’t we just wait for Standing Wall to arrive so I can tell you all at once?”
“Don’t have to worry about that,” the mare said as she slid up into the room from the floor, using her unique teleportation skills. “I hope I’m not too late in teasing our Captain General.”
Gentle Step gave her a look but it was ruined by Sweet Surprise.
“Oh no, she just admitted that she had her first kiss and tumble in the bedroom last night with her foalhood friend, Memorizing Gaze.”
Gentle Step narrowed her eyes at her Captain and said, “Captain Sweet Surprise, I am formerly ordering you to bring your spouses in as soon as possible as we can know them personally and thus protect them in the future in case of an emergency.”
Sweet Surprise blinked at this and her smile dropped a bit. “You don’t play fair, Captain General.”
“In this case, I have a right.” Gentle Step turned to the other Captains. “In case you didn’t hear…”
After she had repeated her news about her endorsements and gotten two understanding responses, she continued. “Also, I learned from Lieutenant Even Hoof just how he found out about his Captain’s spouses.”
Sweet Surprise cringed, lowering her ring covered horn. “I still don’t know how he didn’t realize it sooner,” she muttered.
“Some ponies don’t recognize what’s right in front of their snouts,” Blazen Sun replied. “Why, my own nephew didn’t realize he and his closest friend were falling in love for the longest time.”
“How did that turn out?” Standing Wall asked curiously.
“They’re going on forty years,” Blazen Sun said proudly. “In fact, their anniversary is just a few months from now and we are planning a big party for the two of them.”
“Pass on my congratulations in advance then,” Gentle Step said. “Isn’t he the one working at the Mount Phoenix Roost observatory as an astronomer?”
“Exactly,” Blazen Sun replied. “And his wife has her own successful career. But I believe we were getting somewhat off topic…” He looked around. “Say, where is Memorizing anyway? I would like to speak to that drone about several things.”
Deciding not to press into what the old stallion wanted to say to the young drone, Gentle looked at him. “He had important work to do in regards to his Queen and some relevant hive matters over at the Library. Of which, I do not know now as it was important enough that had to leave almost as soon as I woke up,” Gentle replied. “But he still took the time to bring me breakfast in bed.” She smirked proudly. “Even brought me medication for the hangover I had.”
“Ah, he’s a keeper then,” Sweet Surprise said with a sly smile on her face. “Hot and Sound just like to lecture me when I have a hangover and remind me I am not a young mare anymore.”
“We cannot all be as young as our dear Captain General, Surprise,” Blazen said to the pouting mare who stuck out her tongue. “And may I remind you that only I get to play the old pony card here?” he said while raising an eyebrow up with a smirk on his face.
Sweet made another face at him, causing the others to laugh.
“As much fun as it is teasing Sweet, we should probably get back to work,” Violet remarked with Standing rolling her eyes.
“Agreed,” Gentle said as pulled the files on her desk onto the projector. “As you are all aware, last night we performed a wide range of raids into nearly all of the Hatcheries in Canterlot, with a few in the Lowers being out of reach in time to sync with the operation,” she said, digesting the information as fast as she reported it. “There appears to be a very-”
She paused, ears flickering as she heard what seemed like Mist Flight but like her, he almost never raised his voice. The other Captains frowned and started to rise when the door slammed open as the trio of Internal Affairs agents from yesterday stormed in with Mist Flight right behind them.
“Again,” her lieutenant snapped as he danced in front of them. “I demand you leave as highly sensitive matters are being discussed here and-”
“This will hopefully take a moment, provided that certain ponies act properly,” Strict Code said with a sneer directed at Gentle. “Madam, we have received some troubling news in the morning paper concerning you and Captain Gaze.” The mare pulled out a folder from her saddlebag, then placed an enlarged photo of the two kissing in the rain on the projector. “Is this photo accurate?”
“It is,” she replied, wondering what this whole matter was about.
The mare didn’t even bother to acknowledge her, placing the photo away, keeping the steady look of disapproval on her face. “Madam,” the useage of the word caused Gentle’s coat to bristle. “Do you know what 600-20, paragraph 4-14 signifies.”
“It states that any relationship between Guards is prohibited to prevent personal issues creating problems in the line of duty,” Gentle said without a moment of hesitation.
“The enforcement of this rule, as of late, has been incredibly lax,” the mare continued onwards. “We wish for the Guards to fall into line and it is our sentiment that a public address from you on this matter would help ensure order from the top down.”
“You wish me to lie to my Guards about my relationship with Memorizing Gaze?” she asked, her anger starting to grow.
“Being deceitful about such matters is ill advised as the damage from the knowledge that the Captain General is flouting the rules could be long standing,” she said. “It is our desire that when you speak against relationships in the Guards that you mean it and do not pursue a relationship with Captain Memorizing Gaze or any other Guard unless you feel yourself unqualified to hold your position within the Guards.”
Gentle Step felt her heart skip a beat as the weight of what was being forced on her, that she was being forced to chose between her career and her heart. With her body shaking, she forced herself upwards and looked at Strict Code. “I will think on what you have told me in due course,” she said while trying to put the same strength she usually had but was falling short. “Lieutenant Flight, as of now, you are acting Captain General.”
“Where do you think you are going, madam,” the mare in front of her asked sharply.
“I am using one of my sick days,” Gentle replied before looking at her lieutenant, her horn opening a drawer and retrieving the appropriate rank insignia from it, placing it on Mist Flight. “I trust I do not need to inform you of how to operate.”
“Act as you would, Captain General,” the black and white unicorn replied steadily, saluting her. “I will inform the Guards of the situation.”
“Very good,” she then flicked her eyes to her Captains. “Continue on with work with the raids and bring Captain Gaze up to speed.”
They responded by giving her a salute which she returned. She then turned her attention back towards the pony in front of her. “We need a statement, madam,” the mare said, taking a step closer to Gentle.
“And you will have one after I return,” Gentle replied as calmly as she could before stalking past the mare.
Mist Flight
Of all the ways he could have become the Captain General, this was the least palatable method. He moved his way towards what would be his desk for the foreseeable future and leveled the best glare he could at the Internal Affairs agents.
“Are you satisfied?” he asked, an ugly look on his grizzled face. “You may have driven out the best damned Captain General we’ve ever had.”
Seeing the look in his eyes, Strict Code was suddenly reminded that she was in a room with one of the longest-serving guards ever, and his ire was aimed straight at her. “It’s nothing personal, sir,” she managed with some hesitation, eyeing all of the Guards in the office. “It’s our department’s job to make sure all Guards follow the rules, regardless of rank. I would treat a recruit just as I did the Captain General and expect just as much due to the standards the Royal Guards employ.”
“Understood,” Mist narrowed his eyes. “Now get out; we have our own duties to attend to.”
As the Internal Affairs agents left the office, Mist snorted. Heading to the desk that was now his, he began looking over the files that Gentle had pulled out beforehand and began to examine them. While he did not have Gentle’s ability to sort through the material as fast as her, he was able to delegate and distribute the work enough that he could buy himself time. His horn lit up as he called in his own second up.
“Artisan Shine, as of now until the Captain General returns, you are acting in my place,” he told her, aware that the other Captains were watching him. “Please inform Lieutenant Even Hoof, Lieutenant Lunar Light, Lieutenant Steady Lance, Lieutenant Dazzling Aura and…” he paused, realizing that he could include the sixth Lieutenant now that the Pardon was passed. “And Lieutenant Ruby Shell of this matter.”
“Understood, sir,” the pony gave him a salute and halted, shifting on her hooves before asking the question. “If I may inquire sir, where is the Captain General?”
“She’s taken a personal day for herself after interacting with the Internal Affairs agents who wished her to make a statement against inter office relations,” he replied with Artisan’s eye twitching as she understood the message.
“Any special orders, sir?” she asked, bristling with anger.
“As the Captain General would have it; anything extra is to come after all duties are done,” he replied, giving her an indirect message of what she and the rest of the Royal Guards could do and more than likely would do. Turning his head to the Captains and the paperwork concerning the Hatcheries, a plan formed in his mind. He was unsure how Gentle would feel about his intentions, especially how there was a chance of harm coming to the citizens of Canterlot but as it were, he had given, and would give, no direct order.
It would be chaotic but no one messed with one of their own and got away with it.