The three Guards stood in the center of a courtyard in the palace as Captain Shadow paced angrily back and forth, trying control her anger and not flat out kill them all in one shot. Every now and then she'd eye one with her red eyes, sending chills down their spines to the point Crescent nearly fell over. In the back resting his forward left hoof on a pole was Sgt. David munching on a sandwich he had made and enjoying the show.
"What were you thinking?" finally yelled Shadow
The three didn't know what to say, but Crescent and Flower both turned their eyes to Charger. Shadow noticed this and walked over to him.
"You seem to be the leader! You could've started a full blown riot! Last thing we need is another embarrassment since the Gala!"
"With respect Ma'am; but a riot?"
"The tension between the worker ponies and the snooty upper class ponies is already tense enough. Three Guards randomly starting a fight with 6 other ponies is grounds for it!"
"They were bullying a Unicorn into tears!" defended Charger
"I didn't hear word of a 7th one. Sergeant! Did you see one?"
"No Ma'am." called out David between a bite
"Of course he's of no help." grunted Flower
"What was that?" asked a angered Shadow
"Nothing Ma'am!" said a frightened Flower
"I really expected better from one of my own personal Guards! I authorized you to go along with them in hopes your more professional and experienced demeanor would be able to keep these two new recruits in line!"
"Sorry Ma'am." said Flower, now heavily embarrassed
"You are all lucky we are undermanned or I would have you stripped of your armor and sent to Tartarus!"
The threat was only brought on by her rage but it was enough to have each pony in fear as she turned to stare them down. Words were never going to be able to able to express the sheer amount of unfiltered rage in her eyes as she stared them down. Each one feared that their training instructors back in training were here yelling at them instead of her, and wanted to melt away into the world and never be seen again.
"Get out of my sight before I actually do!" she finally said before walking off, "Dismissed for all I care!"
She skulked off, the anger fuming off her with every step. The three started to walk away, their heads low when Flower spoke.
"I don't blame you Charger. It was a good thing you did. Even if we have to pay for it."
"Thanks Flower."
They walked past Sgt. David, who had given his sandwich to a happy Filly who was holding it in all four of her hooves and eating.
"You three really screwed up here didn't you?" he asked with a laugh
"Yeah, don't remind us." said Crescent
"Going into a fight without backup or support, outnumbered, and it seems outmaneuvered as well! This is rich! What do they teach you weanlings in training? It ain't fighting! What, just stand pretty?"
The three said no answer to his mocking advice and were about to walk inside when they heard him call out again.
"And where in the wide world of our beloved Equestria where Guards are whooped by street gangs are you going?"
He walked up right in front of them and stood in their way. Filly bounced her happy little self inside, bringing a warm smile to David's face before it turned into a more sadistic one as he turned to the other two.
"To the barracks." said Flower
"Oh ho no. You think you're getting off that easy? Nearly tear Canterlot a good one and embarrass the Guard, and have me forced to go out and save you? No, just getting chewed out worse than having to be Celestia's attendant during her time of the month is not the end of it. I have a job for you! Follow me, that's an order."
With no other choice, they followed him through the halls. Word had spread and other Ponies and Guards were looking at them with contempt. While David wasn't actively telling anyone around them, he seemed to be taking a long route to further their suffering. At long last they came to a door that was un guarded like the rest.
"Don't ask, he hates having Guards at the door. Trust me I've tried." said a deflated David as they stepped in
Inside was a mix of a space observatory complete with equipment, a large telescope, and several smaller hand held ones. The other parts included a sleeping quarters, several bookshelves, and a small kitchen. A desk in the center with a large astrology globe seemed to complete the room. What was wrong with it was simple: The place was so much a mess once couldn't see the door. Charger, Crescent, and Flower stood there mouth's gaping as David smiled and looked on.
"This is the lab of our Grand Cities astrologer Dr. Khan. He recently discovered a new constellation and spent a week nonstop confirming it, and boy did he confirm it alright. I think it was 200-some times when i asked. Anyway, he's been at a meeting with other astrologers in Manehatten to present his new findings and name it. As you can see, he worked very hard."
As he said it, as if on cue, a few books fell from atop the large telescope and onto the floor.
"Yeesh, did he really have to check the lens?" asked David, more to himself
"And you want us to clean it?"
"Eeeyup!" said David, "Alphabetical order with the books, papers in neat trim stacks, and since I'm on a role here return the telescope to it's rest position. Should take a few hours, but you are only allowed to do it Earth Pony style. No flying, no magic. That's your two's punishment."
"What about me?" asked Charger, wishing he didn't
"Listen to them whine about it. Have fun you three! I know they teach you how to clean in training."
"As they started to walk in and ponder to even where to begin, the heavy door started to close behind them.
"What about you Sergeant?" asked Flower
"Look, as much as I'd love to stand around and watch you three fail, in fact by regulation I should, I got more important things to do!"
With that he walked out and closed the door.