//------------------------------//
// Chapter 19: A New Captain 
// Story: A Guard and a Princess 
// by TorontoFCBrony 
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	Flash trotted down the hallway of the castle to get to his post for the day.  He was fully clothed in his guardian armour, as well as a light layer of underclothing for the cold, bitter winter wind.  Only his face wasn't covered on this day.  The winter weather had gotten worse, and not only in Equestria.  Around the entire world the temperatures were a lot colder than normal, and even though the spring was now only a month away on the calender, it didn't seem like it.

Because of the poor weather conditions, Flash and Twilight were satisfied with their decision to get married in the springtime.  The weather would be warmer, the trees and flowers would be in bloom, making for better pictures, and it was well before the Equestria Games were to happen, so they could have a nice honeymoon and first few months of married life without much interruption.

But because the day was fast approaching, the stallion was getting more and more nervous.  Even though he loved the new princess with all his heart, and he knew she loved him back, he always had nagging thoughts about the pressures that being married to her would bring.  He would have the title of prince added to his name, as Shining Armour did.  He'd have to be strong, supportive, and caring to his wife at all times, even during the most difficult of times, which were sure to come.  He would have to deal with helping lead a kingdom in certain ways, depending on what Celestia's plans for the two of them were, which still weren't fully decided yet.

But who could blame the young stallion for worrying about such things?  After all, the last time there was a royal wedding the entire kingdom was almost enslaved by an army of dark-coloured alicorn pony-like creatures who, if it weren't for Twilight and her friends, could have enslaved the entire kingdom.

There was something else on his mind.  Something important.  Shining Armour was leaving the Royal Canterlot Guard to be with his wife in taking over the Crystal Empire Guard.  It was Shining's final week in Canterlot, and a new captain was yet to be chosen.  

Flash had seemed to have done a good job in befriending his future brother-in-law, and it made both his job and his personal life so much easier.  The prince actually started to treat Flash as if they were brothers already.  Shining's playful teasing of Flash made the pegasus feel hopeful for the new family he would be married into.  It made him feel accepted, in an odd way.  Shining Armour was the older brother that Flash Sentry never had, so having him leave to move so far away was going to be difficult.

Having to work under a new commander, however, was going to be a new challenge.  And plus, he couldn't date the new captain's sister now that he was engaged to Twilight, so earning a new boss' trust would have to be done in a different way.

Still, the reasons to be optimistic about the future far outweighed the reasons to fear it.  

The young guard made his way to his post, his hooves clad in the golden armoured horseshoes, clacking with every step down the tile floors of the castle. His job was to stand at the front doors of the castle on this day, which was where he was positioned more often than not recently.  

He reached his hoof out to push one of the two massive front doors open for himself, but was halted by feeling another hoof grab him on the shoulder.  He recognised the feeling of the hoof.  The foreleg was soft and furry on his upper back.  Flash used his own hoof to feel the one touching him.  He touched the other pony's hoof softly with his own, almost flirtatiously.

He also took a deep breath through the nose and sniffed the soft lavender smell that he had grown accustomed to; the certain smell of the mare whom he loved most.

"Twily?" he asked as he turned around with a smile.

"Um, close enough, I guess," replied Shining Armour.  At least Flash guessed that a member of the right family had stopped him.

Instantly blushing with embarrassment, knowing that he had caressed the hoof of his straight, married boss, he apologized, saying, "I'm so sorry, Captain.  I was sure that you were Twilight."

"Twily's actually doing some training with Celestia right now.  It's part of her training on how to be a leader.  She's been doing it a lot lately, almost as if Celestia was preparing her for something without fully telling her."  Shining took a deep breath and continued, saying, "I wanted to talk with you privately in my office.  Is that fine with you?"

"Yeah, of course," Sentry responded.  "But what about my post?"

"Don't worry, it'll only be a few minutes," Shining responded.

Flash Sentry followed the prince-by-marriage to his private quarters.

"Have a seat, please," Shining said while pointing one hoof to the chair on the other side of his desk.  "So," he started again after Flash sat down and he closed the front door, "I'm sure you know that this is my last week here."

"Yes, sadly.  I'm going to miss you, sir," Flash replied.

"Okay, for one- let's not get sappy yet.  And two- you're going to be my brother soon, so you don't have to be so formal with me," Shining said while sitting down.  He used his hooves to clear the central part of his desk of all the clutter, and continued again, "I'm sure you've been wondering who'll be taking over as my replacement."

"Yeah, it's crossed my mind a few times," Flash responded.  It had actually crossed his mind multiple times every day for weeks.

"Well, I've thought about this for many nights.  I've asked my sister, the two princesses here, and even other long time guards about who I should choose as my replacement.  Celestia just told me that it was all up to me, while the others gave their suggestions of who they thought would be a good fit.  I also asked my wife, because a number of you Canterlot guards were sent to the Crystal Empire when you first started."

"Yep, I remember that well," Flash said, thinking about the time when he first bumped into his fiancée-to-be.

"Yeah, well, I've thought about this so much, and I still need some advice on the matter.  I thought about coming to you, because you're somepony whom I trust and value very much."

Flash smiled and moved his head to the side a few centimetres.  "You really want my opinion?"

"Of course."

"Well, um, I honestly don't know.  There are so many good guards in this force, some who have been here for decades.  You even have the members of Luna's sector of the royal guard.  There are honestly so many good candidates."

"Interesting," Shining said while putting a hoof on his chin and leaning his foreleg on the armrest, slightly spinning his rotating chair.  "So, what do you think would be the best qualities I should look for in a new captain?"

Flash thought for a second.  "Well, I would have to say that he would need to have an extreme loyalty to the kingdom.  He'd also have to have a massive amount of respect for the princesses and be willing to protect them no matter what, even to the point of death.  He'd have to be a good leader to keep his workers happy, positive, and focused.  Yet I think he'd have to be approachable as well so as to listen to what his guards have to say."

"Very, very interesting.  That actually covers just about it," Shining said as he got up and looked out his window through the blinds.  "There's obviously more to it, but those things you mentioned are very important."  He let out a sigh as he continued to look out the window, adding, "And I think you have a lot of those qualities.  That is why you're going to be the new captain."

"Uh, what?" Flash asked, not sure if he heard the current captain properly.

"That's right.  I chose you as my replacement a few weeks ago, actually.  I just haven't told you yet.  The princesses are all on board.  Twilight is actually excited at the prospect.  And even better is the fact that I'll be the captain of the royal guard in the Crystal Empire to go along with my prince duties, so we will be able to work together still quite a bit."

"No, really, what?"

"Flash," Shining said while staring Flash dead in the eyes as the young stallion was still sitting down and obviously confused.  "Let me say this in terms you'll understand: you, Flash Sentry, are the new captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard.

"Wait, really?  Really?"

"Yes, you stupid cheeseball."

Still confused, Flash looked around the ground in front of him, lost in thought.  "But... why?"

"To be honest, I asked myself the same question many times after I came up with the decision.  I'm still hoping it's the right one.  There's not a stallion in the force I trust more than you.  Sure, you're not experienced and you're a complete goof, but your heart is in the right place, you've made my sister very happy, and I know that you'll do whatever it takes to keep the princesses safe and happy."

"I honestly don't know what to say.  It's a pretty daunting task."

"You don't feel up for it?  Well, I could ask somepony else."

"No!" Flash yelled back.  "I'm up for it, I promise.  I'm just shocked."  He got up and approached the current captain, staring him directly in the eyes.  He reached his hooves around and hugged Shining as hard as he could.  At first the prince was hesitant, but he eventually softened up and returned the hug.

"Uh, Flash?  Are you crying?" Shining asked as they continued to hug.

"No no... this is liquid pride," Flash said as he broke off the hug and faced Shining Armour once again.

"I never gave you permission to use that term," Shining said.

"Okay, fine, I'm a little emotional because I never thought I'd be given this opportunity.  I won't let you down.  I promise."

"Geez, if you're getting this emotional now, how will you be at the wedding?"

Flash chuckled at the thought.  "I'll try to keep it all together."  He then pondered something else that had been on his mind for a while.  He had wanted to wait for the right moment to ask.  "Hey, I was thinking, do you want to be the Best Stallion at my wedding?"

"I'd be delighted to," Shining replied happily.  He still had more to add about the role of Flash's new job, so he continued, "We have to call a meeting to tell the other guards about you being their new captain.  You're still a little cheeseball to me, but you're going to be great here, and I'll be proud to call you my brother when you make your vows."

"Thank you.  You have no idea how much that means to me."