He knew that the sun gave life to every creature and was Celestia’s gift to the world, but at this very moment: he hated that damn ball of gas. He felt like the sun’s rays were directed right towards him. He stopped as sweat rolled down his face and he looked up towards the giant heat source. No clouds in the sky, not even a very small one to shield him from the sun. He sighed as he pressed on through the hot desert sand. His hooves had been burned to the point of numbness. Even so it was one less pain he had to endure in this desert wasteland. How long had he been walking through it? It felt like centuries since he had seen anypony. He just sighed and pressed on. He suddenly stopped and saw a large shape in the distance. A Tower? He thought before he galloped towards it. Please sweet Celestia don’t be another mariachi! He thought. He soon approached the object and his heart skipped a beat.
“No, not this place,” he said staring at the large black tower. The tower looked more like a cocoon with much smaller cocoons on it. He turned to run away from it but stopped when he saw skeletons of earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns lying on the ground.
“Why?” a female voice echoed. His eyes widened as he slowly turned around. Behind him was a bright blue unicorn. Her eye’s pink and full of sadness.
“Why did you do this to me?” she asked. Her skin melted, muscles burned off, tendons ripped from the bones, eyes melted until there was nothing left but a skeleton.
-----
Weaponry shot from his dead sleep, a cold sweat falling from his brow; he hyperventilated before he closed his eyes and attempted to control his breathing. He opened them and scanned the room. It was a single room at the Horse Shoe Inn. He remembered that Flash Sentry allowed him to stay at the Inn if he took it easy, but after that his mind was blank. He climbed out of bed and walked towards the door. Using his magic he slowly opened it and walked out into the hallway. It was an old oak hallway with lanterns lighting the way. He sighed and closed the door and turned around to come face to face with the skeleton of a unicorn.
“Why did you leave me,” she asked.
-----
Weaponry woke up screaming nearly giving the nurse checking his vitals a heart attack.
“Are you alright!?” she asked after she composed herself, keeping her heart from leaping out of her mouth. Weaponry breathed heavily as he looked around at the white room of the hospital. That’s right; he made me go back to the hospital, Weaponry thought.
“Sir! Are you alright?” the Nurse asked again. Weaponry looked at her and nodded.
“Just a bad dream,” he said reassuring her that there was nothing wrong. She nodded and walked out trying to slow down her heart from the sudden fright. He placed a hoof on his face and sighed.
“They’re getting worse,” he said. He looked out into the sky, the moon still in the sky. He couldn’t tell how long he had been asleep but as it stood: he couldn’t go back to sleep. Not after that.
-----
The next day ponyville was bustling with life. The smell of fresh sweets filled the air from Sugar Cube Corner, Zap-apple jam and pies mixed with the sweet scent coming from Sweet Apple Anchors. Rarity was gleaming as she trotted in town with satchels of ribbons and diamond encrusted pins to give to the guards. Twilight and Spike were checking every item off their list before heading to Sugar Cube Corner. The bell over the door rang out as the two entered the store where Pinkie bounced to each corner putting up streamers and balloons; she was humming all the way.
“Seems everything’s in order here,” Twilight said before she nodded to Spike who checked a box on the list.
“Yep, this will be the greatest party to date,” Pinkie said before she stopped and thought then added, “Ok, maybe second.” She giggled before blowing up an orange balloon.
---
That night, Sugar Cube Corner was lit up with lights, music, and cheers as nearly everypony in Ponyville was inside.
“Thank you for this wonderful Party Twilight,” Flash said before he gulped a mug of Zap-apple cider.
“Well it wasn’t just me, everyone in Ponyville helped so I can’t take all the credit for it,” Twilight said. Flash’s attention soon diverted to the door as he saw Weaponry walk in.
“Weaponry,” Flash said as he waved. Weaponry walked over to him.
“What’s all this?” Weaponry asked. Pinkie suddenly appeared out of thin air laughing.
“It’s a party silly,” she said before she instantly grabbed Weaponry’s hoof and pulled him to a table full of cakes, pies, and other assorted desserts. She stood there staring at Weaponry for a few seconds before she said, “Go ahead, they’re really good.” She picked up a rainbow cupcake and instantly devoured it. Weaponry just looked at the desserts then back at Pinkie.
“I don’t like sweets,” he said before he got up and walked back to Flash Sentry. Pinkie gasped in shock, her body seemed to defy gravity by how long she stayed in the air.
“How can you not like sweets!? Are you an alien?” she asked. Weaponry stopped and looked back at the shocked pony.
“The sugary high many ponies get from the sweets only lasts for a short period of time before the crash and their bodies feel sluggish and without energy. On the battlefield you can’t have that happen to you. One show of weakness and you’re dead,” Weaponry said.
“I think a little cupcake won’t hurt you,” Flash said as he offered him a cupcake.
“If I may sir, I’d like to give you my report on the changelings,” Weaponry said as he took the cupcake and placed it on the table.
“I think it can wait, let loose and have fun. Everyone here put this party together to thank us for protecting their home,” Flash said.
“Are you serious?!” Weaponry yelled before he added, “Changelings could be on their way as we speak and all you can think of is a party? This isn’t a game Flash. This is life or death and the fate of Equestria! We have a job to do and if you’re too caught up in slacking off at this party then I’ll have to do your job for you!”
Flash stomped his hoof down before he stated, “You should remember that I’m the commander here and as such I will not allow one of my subordinates speaking down to me. It this understood?” Weaponry was taken aback by his outburst but soon nodded as he calmed down.
“I apologize for any disrespect sir, I’ll take my leave,” Weaponry said before he turned around and walked out of Sugar Cube corner.
“What was that all about?” Twilight asked. Flash sighed before he looked at Twilight.
“I’m sorry about him,” was all Flash could say.
“What a meanie. How can he not like sweets,” Pinkie said before she wrapped her tongue around a cupcake and inhaled it.
“He can come off as that, but I assure you he’s a nice guy. He’s just-” Flash said before sighing. “He’s trying to make up for the past by being strict in his job.”
“What happened in the past?” Applejack asked. She had walked up with Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy to stand with Twilight and Pinkie; all were curious about the preceding outburst. Flash sighed again but thought it best to fill in the inquisitive mares.
“It happened ten years ago,” Flash began. “Weaponry was a commander in the royal guard. He was known as the guardian pony. Every time he and his group went out to battle. It seemed that they all would return unharmed. Soon, more guards wanted to join because he would put his life on the line to make sure anypony in his unit would return safely. However, it started to take its toll on his body. His unit came back unharmed, but he started coming back with cuts, bruises and one time he came back on a gurney. Then, it happened.”
“What?” Fluttershy asked.
“There was a rumor that there was a changeling hive out in the San Palomino Desert. Weaponry was assigned to investigate. He took a group of three hundred guards. He was supposed to send a letter of his finds in a week’s time. A week passed, then two. After a month Celestia grew worried so she gather a small group of guards and went to the San Palomino Desert herself. It’s been said that she found him wandering the desert mumbling to himself. When he saw her all he said was I’m sorry and collapsed to the ground. After recovering he resigned from being a commander and began training his body to the absolute limit. Many times he collapsed because of how much he pushed his body. I reassigned him to my unit, despite the vocal protests from my guards. They said he killed all of the three hundred he took with him because the heat from the desert made him snap.”
“Do you believe he did it?” Rarity asked. Flash shook his head.
“I believe that there was a large hive in the desert and they were ambushed. When the thought of his failure set in after the battle. I think he wanted to get stronger so something like that wouldn’t happen again,” Flash said.
-----
Weaponry walked the town mumbling to himself. He stopped and sat down to look at the starry sky and the bright moon that seemed to be close enough to touch.
“Why is it I’m the only one here taking this changeling invasion seriously?” he sighed. “Why can’t they understand the depth of this war?”
"Why indeed?” a voice said. Weaponry quickly got up and looked around frantically. His eye scanning everything looking for movement while his ears swiveled trying to find the source of the voice.