Stranger In A Strange Land — Part I
The first thing Flash Sentry noticed when he woke was that it had stopped snowing. A thick blanket of white covered the landscape beyond his window and the slumbering city below it. Though he was no longer a schoolcolt by any means, he smiled like one at the sight, strangely elated by the snowswept hills in the distance.
While dawn began to break over the horizon, Flash began his morning routine. Though he missed Greyhoof and his accompanying conversation, he breezed through each task with ease. With a little extra time on his hooves, he took a few more minutes to shine his armor and brush his mane. He wasn’t quite sure why.
Ready to face the day, Flash grabbed his spear, straightened his helmet, and left his room. Celestia’s sun had yet to fully rise in the east. He squinted through the dim light and found himself alone.
In the room adjacent to his own, he heard hoofsteps. Princess Twilight Sparkle was probably awake and ready to begin her day of research.
Similarly, it was time for his assigned duties to truly begin.
Flash took one last breath. Here we go.
After clearing his throat, Flash Sentry walked to Twilight’s room and knocked.
“Who is it?” Twilight called through the door.
“It’s me, Pri—Twilight. Flash Sentry.” He spoke slowly, evenly. So far, so good.
The door swung open to reveal a mare who appeared far too cheerful for the hour. Her mane and tail were combed, her feathers glistening from a fresh preening. Though she wore neither her horseshoes nor her crown, she appeared as elegant as ever.
“Good morning! Glad to see you’re finally awake!” Twilight levitated a pair of saddlebags onto her back.
“Good morn—f-finally awake?” Just exactly how long have you been—
“Oh, don’t worry about it. I always wake up early, especially when I have a big day to look forward to!”
That makes two of us. A small smile on his muzzle, Flash stepped back as Twilight closed and locked her door, then followed beside her in the hallway.
Once they left the hallway and entered the main foyer, Twilight tilted her head at him.
“Something wrong, Twilight?” Flash followed her gaze, which was glued to his weapon. Is it not sharp enough? Does it look unpolished? I know I should’ve used an additional cannister of polish for both this AND the armor!
“Um… I don’t think you’ll be needing that, Flash.” Twilight pointed at the spear.
Flash raised an eyebrow. “I—I won’t?”
Twilight shook her head. “I really appreciate you taking Princess Celestia’s order to heart, but I feel pretty safe here.”
“W-with all due respect, Princess, what if something does happen where it is necessary? It is far better to have it and not need it, then go without it and require it.” Not to mention that this is completely against protocol, even for my post beside the doors of Royal Court…
“That is a fair point, but I’ve been here a few times before with my friends, and nothing bad has happened. Well, nothing bad has happened to us,” Twilight corrected with a chuckle. “I just find it a bit… unnecessary.”
Flash fought the urge to argue again. On one hoof, Twilight Sparkle and her friends had faced down dangers more perilous than he could ever realize, and it would not be wise to imply that she was wrong about her own safety. On the other, a Royal Guard was almost never without his weapon while on duty. Such a mistake was not treated lightly.
Noticing his hesitation, Twilight added, “I would strongly prefer it if you would leave it in your room, please. And besides, with both my brother and you around, I don’t think I have anything to worry about.”
Although he wasn’t quite sure of how to respond to being mentioned in the same sentence as Prince Shining Armor, Flash decided not to think on it too much. Twilight was his superior as much as Princess Celestia or Ironhoof.
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll… I’ll be right back then. Please wait here.”
Before she could reply, he spun back around, hoping to get this over with as quickly as possible. Well, look on the bright side… I won’t have to carry this thing around everywhere we go. Huh. I suppose it’ll make walking easier.
After stashing his spear away, Flash left his room once more, rejoining Twilight in the foyer, who was waiting patiently. “Sorry about that,” he said with a sheepish grin.
Twilight just smiled. “No problem! Let’s head down to breakfast.”
Flash’s stomach growled. With a weak chuckle and a nod, he followed after her to the dining hall on the first floor.
The crystal castle was completely silent, except for the clicking of their hooves against the translucent floors and stairs as they descended. Flash utilized this time to memorize the layout of the castle, making mental landmarks on each floor and in each hallway. Despite Twilight’s apparent lack of concern for her safety, he took note of each window and door in case of emergency.
Along with the building’s structure, Flash made an effort to observe the other occupants of the castle—or lack thereof. Whereas Canterlot Castle would be full of ponies milling about at this hour, the palace was mostly deserted. He noticed a few servants hurry past them, carrying trays of food or pots of tea and coffee. The servants nodded to him and bowed to Twilight as they whisked past them, offering only morning greetings.
Flash noted that the servants here shared one major similarity with those back in Canterlot Castle. Like Greyhoof, Serving Bell, and the others, the serving class here lacked horns or wings.
However, Flash wasn’t quite sure if he could accurately refer to them as Earth ponies.
From their translucent coats and manes, which seemed to shine even in the dim embrace of dawn, he supposed that he had finally seen a Crystal Pony face-to-face. Only in the tales of Ironhoof and a few others had he heard of the unique race. Their coats are far more beautiful than I could have imagined.
When they reached the first floor at last, Twilight asked, “You’ve never seen a Crystal Pony before, have you?”
“No, not really,” Flash answered, watching as a crystalline stallion wearing a suit similar to Greyhoof’s walked into an adjacent hallway. Wait… How did she know that?
Twilight grinned. “I thought so. I saw you staring at Rosemary.”
“Rosemary?”
“The mare balancing the tray of crystal berries on her forehoof,” Twilight said.
“Oh… Well…” Flash cleared his throat. “I didn’t mean to stare. Just… just never seen a Crystal Pony before.”
Twilight tapped her chin. “Oh. Well, very few Crystal Ponies emigrate from the Empire to any other part of Equestria. Most of them stay here in their native land.”
Stay with their own kind? Can’t say I’m surprised. Flash simply nodded, following after her as she turned into a nearby hallway.
“It’s quite fascinating, actually,” Twilight continued. “Technically speaking, all Crystal Ponies are Earth ponies, as far as appearance and standing. There are no Crystal Ponies with horns or wings. Like Earth ponies, their magic flows from the ground to their hooves. So, they’re basically viewed the same, albeit with a bit more glamor.”
Genuinely surprised, Flash replied, “Interesting…” No unicorns? No pegasi? An entire society without unicorn magic or flight? Must be similar to Appleloosa or Dodge Junction. And those two cities are known for being very peaceful and quiet… mostly.
“I think so. They are quite the fascinating group, especially considering their history… Ah! Here we are! The Great Hall!”
A wide grin on her muzzle, Twilight opened the double doors at the end of the hallway with her magic and stepped inside. Flash followed after her, his eyes widening as soon as the doors closed behind him.
Heavy chandeliers comprised of every type of gemstone he knew, along with a few others that were unrecognizable, hung from the ceiling. Crystalline lamps glowed brightly in the corners of the room and hung from the walls, flames flickering in their jeweled sconces. The centerpiece of the room was a dining table carved from mahogany, about as long as the table occupying Canterlot Castle’s Royal Dining Hall.
A few Crystal Pony servants had been awaiting their arrival, along with the stallion seated at the head of the table.
“Twilight! Flash! Good morning!” Shining Armor said with a smile.
Twilight rushed over and hugged Shining, who returned the gesture with a tight embrace. “Good morning, Shining!”
After joining her side, Flash bowed to him. “Good morning, Your Highness.”
Releasing his sister from his hooves, Shining looked Flash over and chuckled. “Already wearing the golden armor, Flash?”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Flash said somewhat warily. As opposed to…?
Twilight looked around, a concerned frown on her muzzle. “Where’s Cadence?”
Shining Armor gestured for both of them to take a seat at the table. “Unfortunately, she was still pretty tired when I woke up this morning. I told her I would be back upstairs to check on her after the three of us had breakfast.”
Twilight’s frown deepened. “Oh… Well, I guess I’ll see her after breakfast, then.”
While the servants wheeled serving carts towards them, Shining replied, “Might be a little later than that, Twily. I could tell Cadence to meet you at the library when she’s up if you want. I know you want to get an early start on your research.”
Twilight stretched her wings. “I suppose you’re right. Though I really want to see her, it sounds like she needs the extra rest. And besides, I’ve been looking forward to going to the library all morning!” she added with a grin, clapping her forehooves together.
Shining reached over and rustled her mane, making her giggle. “That’s my Twily! I bet you were already daydreaming about those books before the train even left Canterlot.”
Twilight laughed. “Almost. I started the day before!”
Flash grinned at their banter, standing beside Twilight in silence, waiting to be dismissed. Shining simply motioned for him to sit down again and continued his conversation with his sister.
Hesitantly, Flash took a seat of his own beside Shining Armor and across from Twilight. He wants me to eat breakfast with them? But… why?
Flash watched in silence as the two continued their conversation. Neither of them immediately objected to Flash sitting with them, though he anticipated the command to leave, his muscles tensed for almost an entire minute.
When Twilight and Shining simply continued their chat, making no motion to shoo him away, Flash allowed himself to relax slightly. Even when Twilight or Shining looked his way, they didn’t comment on what had been, for him, a bold gesture.
Hmm… Maybe I’m thought of as a guest? This is a pretty vacant castle, after all. Maybe the Crystal Empire treats all its guests, few as they are, this way? Shrugging, Flash reasoned that Shining and Cadence were a bit more generous than he had expected. Due to this unprecedented gesture of goodwill, he couldn’t help but grin. Well, the oats will taste good this morning.
At the light tap of a forehoof on his shoulder, he turned around. A young Crystal Pony stallion lifted the lid on a silver tray of fine food. A myriad of morsels lay before Flash’s eyes, making them widen: Fresh fruits with whipped cream and yogurt; cheese and veggie omelettes; and pancakes drenched in maple syrup, among other delicacies.
From the corner of his eye, Flash Sentry saw that Shining and Twilight had been presented with the same offerings and were choosing from them at will. His mouth watering, he looked down at the platter and blinked several times in complete disbelief.
All of this for me, a simple Royal Guard? Are they really giving me the same things that Ironhoof eats back at Canterlot Castle? Where’s the oats and grits? Or the cinnamon and sugar, if I’m lucky?
“Sire? What would you like?” the servant asked, shaking him from his thoughts.
Flash glanced at Shining Armor, who was eying him intensely. “Y-yes, Your Highness?” he asked, steeling himself for what would surely be a scolding. Servant probably brought the wrong tray. There’s no way they could be this generous...
“Is there something wrong with your breakfast, Flash? You look concerned,” Shining asked with a slight smile.
My breakfast?
Dumbfounded, Flash looked down at the tray again. “No, no, Your Highness. Nothing is wrong. It looks wonderful. N-nevermind.”
Shining nodded. “Good. Enjoy!”
While Shining and Twilight continued to select their dishes, Flash quickly chose the pancakes and some strawberries, certain that he was being tricked. When the servant placed them on his plate and asked if he woud like water, orange juice, or milk to drink, he was convinced that he must still have been asleep back in his room, dreaming wild dreams. A glass of milk accompanied his untouched breakfast.
Once the servants finished serving them, they whisked the carts away and headed back towards the kitchen, leaving the three to eat. Both Shining and Twilight thanked the servants as they left, then continued to exchange light conversation while they ate.
Flash stared at his breakfast, expecting it to fizzle away like the mirage it was. When it remained as solid and inviting as ever, he cautiously grabbed his fork and used the edges to cut away a piece of pancake, which he swirled in the syrup.
Flash took a bite of the forbidden food. It was delicious, outclassing any bowl of Canterlot oats. He couldn’t remember ever eating something as heavenly during his time at Canterlot Castle, except maybe during Hearth’s Warming Eve.
Glancing up at the crystal chandeliers, which began to shine in the growing sunlight, Flash thought as he chewed, This Crystal Empire seems strange already.
From across the table, he heard a giggle. Looking over, he saw Twilight pointing at her plate. “Guess I wasn’t the only one who thought pancakes and strawberries would be good this morning!”
“Heh, yeah… They’re my favorite,” Flash mumbled, stabbing another bite on his fork and shoving it into his fool mouth. From his peripherals, he saw Shining looking his way again, though he stayed silent.
“Mine too!” Twilight chewed noisily, than jammed another bite past her lips, syrup trickling down her cheeks.
Flash looked down at his plate, fighting the trembling in his wings. Shining Armor was still staring at him.
Focused on getting through this meal without embarrassing himself, Flash Sentry did his best to tune out Shining and Twilight out of respect. He had only been in the same room as any of the Royal Family during a meal a few times, though he had never eaten at the same table with them. On those same occasions, he had been firmly instructed not to eavesdrop, and more harshly instructed not to repeat anything that he managed to hear.
A few minutes into his meal, he caught both Shining Armor and Twilight Sparkle staring at him from the corner of his eye. Flash sat up, ramrod straight, then turned to them, hoping that he hadn’t made a faux pas. “Yes, Your Majesties?”
Twilight brought a forehoof to her lips and giggled.
While Flash fought his blush, Shining chuckled with her, shaking his head. “You sure you’re awake, Flash?”
“Er… Yes?” I hope?
“I asked if I could talk to you for a few minutes about three times.” Although Shining was still smiling, Flash detected a hint of annoyance in his voice.
Thus, Flash quickly rose from his seat, bowing to the Prince. Twilight and Shining had already finished their plates. Leaving his half a pancake behind, Flash hurried after Shining as he started for the door.
Flash’s thoughts began to race while he followed after him. What is he going to talk to me about? Does this have something to do with Orion’s arrest? The hearing? The trial? Or… did Ironhoof tell—
No. No need to get your mane in a tangle already.
“Hurry up, Shining! I want to go to the library!” Twilight called after them, crossing her forehooves over her chest.
~
Through the hallway, into the first floor, and out the front door, Flash Sentry followed Shining Armor. From the first step past the doors, he felt the snow crunch beneath his horseshoes. He didn’t shiver, though his breath turned to mist in the cold.
“Your Highness? Is everything alright?” Flash asked, troubled. Shining Armor hadn’t said a thing their entire walk so far. With only a stern expression on the Prince’s muzzle, he wasn’t exactly comforted.
“Follow me,” Shining replied, nudging his head towards the rear of the castle. Flash continued to follow, leaving hoofprints in the snow behind his Prince.
Things had been going so well so far. First, a pleasant surprise this morning—Twilight’s confidence in her own safety with both her brother and Flash around. Then, a curiously unsettling breakfast, though in a good way, or so he had thought. Perhaps he had been buttered up more than his pancakes in preparation for the true tongue-lashing…
When they neared the opposite side of the castle, Shining spoke up at last, glancing over his shoulder. “Sorry about that, Flash,” he said quietly, as if reading his thoughts. “The servants’ quarters is just off the first floor, so I didn’t want to talk about this in there. Most of them are still asleep.”
Surprised, Flash said, “I… I see. I understand, Your Highness.” Huh. That’s… definitely not what I was expecting…
“We’re almost there. I wanted to show you this myself.”
As they turned around the last corner, Flash opened his muzzle to reply, then closed it when they reached the rear of the castle.
In breathless awe, Flash Sentry stood beside Shining Armor and looked down from the hilltop. Tents of every color were neatly pitched and arranged in a circle below, an Equestrian flag flying at full mast in the epicenter of the camp. Picnic benches and fire pits lay a safe distance from the tents, where a few of the castle servants were setting up field kitchens. Freshly fallen snow peppered the tents, their inhabitants continuing to snore and slumber in defiance of the dawn.
Amongst the sea of tents, a black pegasus, his golden armor glistening in the early sunlight, walked between the rows. The pegasus waved up at Shining, the purple saddle blanket on his back bobbing in time with his canter as he made his way up the hill towards them.
“Lieutenant Shooting Star?” Flash asked more than greeted when the stallion joined the three.
“Flash Sentry! Good to see you up and about!” Shooting Star said with a grin.
Flash quickly bowed his head. “G-good morning, sir! I did not expect to see you here, sir.”
Shooting Star motioned for him to rise. “At ease, soldier. Try and keep your voice down. We don’t want to wake the recruits just quite yet.”
“Want to make sure the cooks have their breakfast ready before you put ‘em through another round of ‘training,’ eh, Shooting Star?” Shining joked, grinning widely.
Shooting Star laughed. “Of course, Your Highness! Can’t expect these fillies to run a mile on an empty stomach, now, can we?”
Shining snorted. “Only one mile, Shooting Star? I would have expected two from you.”
“Well, my Prince, let’s weed out the weakest first, then move on to the weak!”
Flash looked from the Lieutenant to the Prince in confusion. Ever since Shining Armor had appointed Ironhoof as the Captain of the Royal Guard, Shooting Star had seemed a bit… terse, even towards his former Captain. Now, they seemed like old friends, almost foregoing the pleasantries and ritual of a commander and his underling.
Shining Armor turned to Flash Sentry. “You’re looking down at over a hundred recruits for the new branch of the Royal Guard, the Crystal Pony Guard, Flash. Shooting Star will be assuming my role as their instructor and commander while Twilight is here.”
“That’s great news, Your Highness.” Flash smiled. I’m glad Twilight will get to spend some more time with both her brother and Cadence. Seems like she missed them very much.
Shining smiled back at him. “Indeed. I suppose you’re wondering why I wanted to show you this. Lieutenant? Care to explain?”
“Of course, Your Highness.” Shooting Star cleared his throat. “Flash Sentry, while you’re here, I would like you to assist in some of the training exercises. We need an extra set of eyes looking out for any troublemakers or lollygaggers, you see.”
Flash was taken aback by this request. Although he was a knighted Royal Guard, he was not the strongest, nor the fastest, nor the most strategic. While he was fairly proficient in both flight and combat, he possessed none of the finesse or speed that had led to Shooting Star being promoted as Lieutenant, the highest position a pegasus could hold in the Royal Guard. There seemed to be no objective reason in his mind that he should be assisting the Lieutenant.
Maybe I’m overthinking this. Shining wants to spend more time with Twilight. Shooting Star needs somepony else observing the recruits in their training. Twilight already seems like she doesn’t really need me as much as Princess Celestia thought. So… might as well give me something to do, right? Better than staring at my horseshoes and the snow.
“Of course, sir. I would be honored to help, Lieutenant,” Flash replied, bowing his head.
Laughing, Shooting Star smacked Flash’s side with a wing. “Excellent! How does 0700 tomorrow morning sound?”
Flash began, “Sounds—”
“Sounds great, Star. I’m sure Twilight won’t mind. Let’s go, Flash,” Shining said, “the recruits will be having their breakfast soon. Won’t want to get in the way of all the ‘fun’ they’re going to be having with the Lieutenant here.”
Shooting Star winked. “I’ll make it an adventure for ‘em, Your Highness!”
As Shining Armor led Flash away, he shook his head. “Oh, Shooting Star. Always been a firecracker, that one.”
Flash chuckled. “Heh, yes, Your Highness. Always an energetic leader.” And a good one. Those recruits are definitely in for a rude awakening if they thought this was going to be easy. Shooting Star may be a bit more relaxed, but not when it comes to physical training and combat drills. Not if my memory serves right!
Before they returned to the front of the castle, Shining Armor stopped in his tracks, turning to face Flash Sentry eye-to-eye. “There is one more thing I wanted to discuss before you and Twilight leave for the library, Flash.”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
Shining leaned in close to him as he said, barely above a whisper, “Ironhoof informed me of what occurred earlier this week after Royal Court.”
The snow beneath his hooves finally made him shiver, the ice working its way into his stomach by some bizarre transitive property. Flash blinked in reply, his mind reeling, struggling to come up with an appropriate response.
Knew it! Things had to be going so well, didn’t they? Alright, Flash, just start apologizing, just beg for his forgiveness and maybe then—
“I want you to know,” Shining Armor began, “that you will treat Twilight with the utmost respect at all times, or there will be consequences. Especially when you’re on my watch. Understood?”
A mortified blush heating his cheeks, Flash said to the brother of the mare whom he had wronged, “Y-yes, Your Highness. Of c-course.”
“With that being said…”
Shining lowered his voice, barely audible above the gentle howl of the late-winter wind. “There is a meeting in the Great Hall this Friday evening. I want you to attend it with me, and I want you to think about what happened after that incident when you attend the meeting.” He leaned in closer, his eyes and muzzle stern. “Do you understand?”
Distrusting his voice, Flash simply nodded.
As Shining Armor pulled away, he met the gaze of the smaller stallion, his expression seeming to soften. “C’mon, let’s head back before Twilight sends out a search party.”
Though Shining laughed, Flash found no humor in his words, trailing behind him.
Of course Ironhoof would tell him. He would go and tell everypony in Equestria if he could! Cadence too!
Why did Princess Celestia have to send me of all ponies?
~
Side-by-side, Flash Sentry and Twilight Sparkle trotted through town towards the Crystal Empire’s library. Although he would have preferred to do a little sight-seeing, especially in such a strange place as this, Flash kept pace with Twilight, who practically oozed excitement from her light hooves and flowing mane.
The Crystal Heart in particular caught his eye as they passed by the legendary artifact, but Twilight just stared straight ahead, humming to herself. Despite his curiosity, Flash couldn’t help but smile at her anticipation, and said nothing, taking in the city as much as he could through their journey.
The official first day of his special guard duty began around 0700, about an hour earlier than his usual duties, but he didn’t mind. At this hour, most of the Empire’s citizens appeared to still be snoozing. Only a few Crystal Ponies were out and about, heading into the marketplace or fetching their morning newspaper.
While all who spotted them smiled, bowed, and greeted Twilight, they displayed much less fascination than Flash had observed at the Canterlot train station, or even Canterlot Castle. Of course, since they had a Princess of their own, perhaps the celebrity had long ceased to transfix them.
Nevertheless, every Crystal Pony he passed seemed cheerful, their smiles as radiant as the rising sun. It was a stark contrast to the inner world of Canterlot Castle and its stoic guards, rushing servants, and high-hoofed nobles.
Meanwhile, Twilight, practically skipping like a schoolfilly on her first morning of magic kindergarten, appeared unfazed by the differences, waving at each citizen they passed and wishing them good morning.
Finally, the two reached the steps to the library. They were greeted by twin statues of Griffons looming above the steps, along with an sculpture of an open book above the double doors. Flash looked up at the enormous building in amazement. Like most buildings he had seen so far in the Crystal Empire, the library appeared to have been constructed masterfully, and mostly from gemstone.
Twilight caught sight of his wide-eyed gaze. “Here we are! What do you think?”
“It’s… beautiful, Princess,” Flash said after a moment. Never seen a library as magnificent as this before… Not even the Canterlot Archives!
“Just wait until we get inside!” Twilight gushed, clapping her forehooves excitedly. “Oh, there’s so many books, and books, and—gah, I can’t wait any longer!”
In a flurry of violet, pink, and blue, Twilight zipped up the stairs and through the doors, leaving Flash in her dust.
H-how…? Flash, jaw agape, shook himself out of his daze and quickly climbed the stairs.
As Flash opened the doors, he found Twilight standing on the crystalline floor of the library beside a young Crystal Pony stallion, who appeared to be the librarian.
The stallion’s coat was a light shade of tan, his mane a light cream. A pair of pink spectacles rested against his snout. Beside him sat a small dog, similar in color to the stallion, though with a more yellowish coat. The dog wagged its short, curled tail as it approached Twilight.
“Sorry, Princess,” Flash said as he joined her side, shaking his head. “You caught me, uh—” off-guard seems in poor taste, doesn’t it?—”by surprise.”
Twilight laughed as she petted the energetic little dog, which panted happily in response to her attention. “That’s alright! Heh, sorry. I got a little excited there. So many books…” She grinned, adding, “Flash, I want you to meet Apt Drop, the librarian’s son.”
“Nice to meet you, Sir Flash Sentry,” Apt said, bowing to him.
“Nice to meet you too, Apt.” Strange name. Fits a strange place, I guess.
“Princess Twilight tells me that you will be helping her with her research.” Apt pushed his spectacles up the bridge of his snout. “Regarding the Tree of Harmony and the origin of the Elements. Correct, Your Highness?”
Wait… I’ll be helping her? How is guarding helping?
Twilight nodded. “Exactly. Do you happen to know where we should start looking, Apt?”
Twilight gestured towards the three stories of the library—one above them, and one below—and its seemingly endless rows of towering bookshelves. Each bookshelf was crammed to the brim with books, not one inch of free space between the volumes. If Flash had to guess, there must have been thousands of books within the library—far more than he had ever seen in one place in his life.
While Apt tapped his chin, his dog wandered over to Flash Sentry, its tail wagging rapidly as it approached the pegasus, crouching low. Grinning, Flash leaned down and scratched behind its ears with the tip of his forehoof. The hound rewarded his efforts with a lick to his forehoof.
Apt looked over to see his hound roll onto his back, urging Flash to rub his belly. “Ah, it seems that Bishe likes you too, Sir Flash Sentry. He is a very friendly dog, so, please, feel free to pet him all you like.”
Twilight smiled. “Bishe reminds me of Winona.”
Flash looked up. “Winona?”
“Applejack’s dog,” Twilight explained, giggling when Bishe crawled back over to her. “Though, I don’t think Bishe is likely to herd any sheep.”
Apt laughed. “No, Bishe is a very indoor dog, Your Highness. Now, as for the books…” He sighed. “Unfortunately, our library’s organizational system is quite a bit out of date, though my mother and I are working to fix that. She’s been a bit under the weather lately, so we haven’t been able to work on it as much as we should. I’m sorry to say this, but I can’t rightly say where you should begin, Princess Twilight,” he admitted. “I wish I could be of more help.”
Bishe seemed woeful as well, whimpering as he returned to his master’s side.
“That’s quite alright.” Twilight levitated her saddlebags over to the first bookshelf on the right side of the room. “I suppose we can just work our way around the room, bookshelf to bookshelf.”
Apt nodded wistfully. “A bold strategy, Your Highness. I wish you the best of luck. Bishe and I will get out of your manes now. Come now, Bishe.” The stallion turned and headed down the stairs with the hound, which nipped playfully at his hooves all the way.
Left alone, Flash Sentry turned to Twilight Sparkle, perplexed. “Err… Your—um, Twilight… When you, um, said we were going to be researching—”
Twilight held up a forehoof. “Eh heh heh… I’m sorry. I should have asked first. It’s just…” With a weak smile, she trailed off, stretching her wings. “Well, you said on the train that you were interested in history and liked to read, and I thought it would be pretty, well, boring if you just stood around eight hours a day—”
Eight hours a day?
“—While I went through all of these books. You see, it’s really important that I find out the true nature of the Elements of Harmony, so I don’t intend to leave any page unturned. Who knows where somepony could have scribbled it down? Especially if I find some of Starswirl the Bearded’s writings. So, with the vast amount of books in this library, along with the fact that there isn’t a clear order to them, I figured that I might need all four weeks—”
Four weeks of eight-hour days in here? With… you?
“—To find the answer. And the answer might not even be in Equestrian! It might be in Old Equestrian, which I’m not quite fluent in, so I’ve brought along a few translation guides. But anyway…”
Twilight looked up from her hooves, offering him a sheepish grin. “I thought… M-maybe since you enjoyed history… Maybe you would like to… help?”
For the flickering oasis of a second, Flash thought he spotted something beneath the smile on her muzzle, something that looked, to him, like hope.
Of course, he could be mistaken, as he was mistaken several times today.
Still, despite the warnings of not just one Royal Guard Captain but two, Flash Sentry couldn’t help but want to say yes.
Employing a bold strategy of his own, Flash replied at last, “Sure, Twilight. I would lo—be honored to help you.”
He mentally punched himself in his fool mouth, and his traitorous wings while he was at it, chaining them to his sides.
Twilight clapped her forehooves. “Yes! Yes! Thank you!”
For what? “Y-you’re welcome.”
Twilight selected two books from the very top-right corner of the highest shelf. She passed one over to Flash in her magic, then opened her own. “Let’s get to work, shall we?”
Flash returned her grin. “Yes, ma’am, let’s get to it.”
~
In the end, Flash Sentry was grateful that Twilight Sparkle had asked him to help her with this project. If he was perfectly honest with himself, boredom had not been his concern when he learned that he would be spending a literal third of his days alone in the library with her. Focusing on the books prevented his eyes from wandering… as well as his mind.
Still, the endless flow of words, sentences, and paragraphs couldn’t dissuade his rebellious brain from recounting the events of that morning.
Why had Shining Armor allowed him to eat breakfast with them? Why had he and Lieutenant Shooting Star asked for his assistance with the Crystal Pony Guard recruits? Why hadn’t he scolded him more harshly for kissing Twilight’s hoof? She was his sister, after all.
Flash may have been an only foal, but if he had been blessed with a sister, he knew that he would not have approached a stallion who dishonored her so calmly, even relatively speaking. The Prince had been tame compared to his succeeding Captain, who seemed to delight in spewing vitriol every chance he had.
And there was the matter of that meeting Shining Armor mentioned. Flash didn’t recall Ironhoof stating that he would be meeting with the Prince during Twilight’s research trip, though he didn’t put it past him. Then again, perhaps the meeting would have nothing to do with Ironhoof at all. Why, then, did Shining admonish him to remember what had happened when he accompanied him to the meeting?
Nevertheless, Flash tried his best to push all of these questions out of his mind, focusing on the task at hoof. By the time lunchtime rolled around, he had read through almost one of the thick volumes, which detailed early Equestrian military history. Neither had mentioned anything about the Elements of Harmony, nor its mother tree. In the same amount of time, Twilight had read her way through three tomes with similar results.
Apt and Bishe visited them around noon, bringing them tea and daffodil sandwiches, along with light conversation. Flash played with the hound, throwing the ball it offered him, while Twilight chatted with Apt.
Again making an effort not to eavesdrop, Flash focused on the sandwich, sneaking a bite or two to Bishe. Once Apt and his dog left again, Twilight wolfed down her sandwich in the way that she only seemed capable of doing, then resumed her search.
The next several hours passed by without much interruption, a few library patrons notwithstanding. Twilight and Flash both greeted the few who came to the library that afternoon. Thankfully, these other patrons seemed aware of the intensity of the Princess’s research, and did not interrupt further.
Twilight, who was gradually building herself a mountain of discarded books, zeroed in on her task with precise concentration, flipping through the pages at a speed that could only be described as impressive. In contrast, Flash found his errant thoughts fueled by his lunch, struggling to concentrate on the book he still hadn’t finished.
Around 1600, another visitor entered the library. Flash looked up from the heavy book across his lap, his eyes nearly bulging from his skull.
“Hello, Twilight.”
Pulled from her hypnosis, Twilight Sparkle looked up to find her sister-in-law trotting towards her. “Cadence!”
Flash put the book down as quickly as he could and rose from his haunches to his hooves, groaning. Arrrgh! Sat down so long that one of my hindhooves is asleep! Oh, perfect timing, Flash. Perfect timing.
Twilight hurried over to Cadence, her eyes bright. As soon as she reached the other alicorn, she leaned down on her all four hooves and began, “Sunshine, sunshine—”
Cadence crouched down, then began to hop in time with her. She covered her eyes with her forehooves, then removed them. “Ladybugs, awake!”
The two clapped their forehooves with the other, chanting in unison, “Clap your hooves—”
“—And do a little shake!” they finished, standing up and shaking their tails before each threw a forehoof around the other, laughing.
While Flash Sentry observed this rehashing of the foal’s nursery rhyme between two grown mares, he was able to suppress a chuckle, though not his grin. Oh, that’s right… Princess Cadence was Princess Twilight’s foalsitter when she was a foal. The ways that we are connected…
“I missed you so much!” Twilight exclaimed, nuzzling Cadence and wrapping a wing around her. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m feeling much better now. Sorry it took so long for me to meet up with you, Twilight,” Cadence said, returning the gesture.
From this angle, Flash Sentry could see faint, shadowy circles under Cadence’s eyes, hidden by a layer of what appeared to be concealer. Although her mane, coat, and tail seemed to have been thoroughly brushed, they seemed lackluster. The last time he had seen her, she had been a radiant, glowing mare on her wedding day. Now, she seemed fatigued. Her feathers looked in need of preening. On top of everything else, she seemed to have lost an unnecessary amount of weight.
Twilight released Cadence from her grasp. “Oh, that’s alright. Flash and I got an early start on the research while we waited.”
Princess Cadence turned to him. “Ah, so this is Sir Flash Sentry. I don’t believe we have met.”
Flash bowed. “Good afternoon, Your Highness. I attended your wedding, though I do not believe we were introduced, considering, well—”
“Don’t worry about it,” Cadence said with a slight smile. “There were many Royal Guards present that day. It was not anypony’s fault. Please, do not feel guilty for it.” She motioned for him to rise.”So, you will be Twilight’s guard through this trip?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I see.” Cadence swept her gaze between the two, then looked over towards the small pile of books Twilight had already perused. “How goes the research, Twilight?”
Twilight sighed. “Haven’t found anything quite yet. I told Celestia that it may take a full month before I find all the information I need.”
“A full month of research?” Cadence feigned offense, bringing a forehoof to her forehead and sniffling. “A full month of you hiding in the library? No chance to spend some quality time with my favorite sister-in-law?”
Twilight giggled. “Cadence, I’m your only sister-in-law.”
Cadence beamed. “Even if I had a thousand, you would still be my favorite, Twilight.”
Twilight grinned. “And you would be mine. But you’re right. It would be really great if the two of us could spend some time together. Speaking of which… Wasn’t there something you wanted to talk to me about?”
Cadence looked from Flash to Twilight again, tilting her head.
Flash rustled his wings in the heat of her intense gaze, looking away. A strange sensation of being examined, as if he were an insect under a magnifying glass, passed over him. Silence settled as he avoided her eyes, before she finally broke it.
“Yes, there are a few things, actually. Though, it is getting rather late. The castle chefs will have supper ready in about an hour. We can talk later. Why don’t you call it a day, Twilight?” Princess Cadence suggested.
Looking from the pile of books, to the single towering bookshelf above it, and back again, Twilight said, “I suppose you’re right. It’s been about eight hours anyway. Are you ready to go, Flash?”
“Yes, Pri—Twilight.” Though he glanced over at Cadence, she, like her husband, did not seem to react to his use of the familiar rather than the formal name.
While Twilight gathered the books from the discard pile and returned them to their rightful places on the highest shelf, Apt and Bishe rejoined them. The hound brushed against Princess Cadence’s hooves, yipping happily when she petted him with her magic. Apt bowed to her, then asked her a rather curious question that Flash, despite his reservations, couldn’t help but hear.
“Your Highness, will you be attending the play next weekend?”
“What is the play about, Apt?”
“A Stallion And His Mare, Your Highness. It is a very beautiful production. One of my… friends is starring in it.” A blush accompanied the stallion’s grin. “I’m sure the actors would be overjoyed if you and Prince Shining Armor could attend.”
Princess Cadence looked over to the bookshelf, where Twilight Sparkle levitated her saddlebags onto her back and Flash Sentry stood beside her.
Princess Cadence turned back to Apt as Bishe hopped over to nuzzle his master’s hooves. “I think that would be wonderful, Apt. Tell your friend we will be there.”
Apt bowed enthusiastically. “Oh, thank you, Your Highness! How many seats should I tell him to reserve?”
“I will let you know soon. Twilight, Flash, are you two ready to go?”
Her saddlebags laden with a few extra books, Twilight followed after her. “Ready! C’mon, Flash!”
A stranger in a strange land, with even stranger thoughts in his head, Flash Sentry followed after the two alicorns, past the smiling Apt and his grinning dog, into the growing late-winter's evening.