The Princess and the Sentry

by Neroson40

Why Does This Keep Happening!?

Twilight Sparkle

It’d been a full month since the whole Dazzlings Escapade at Canterlot High, when I got a letter from Princess Celestia informing me that attending the Grand Galloping Gala was no longer an Option for me… I was not excited about that happening again… and that it was mandatory that I bring five other guests… my choices were obvious, but they wouldn’t be very keen on the idea of going to another Gala… and that it was happening… in the Crystal Empire? Okay now I know she’s… “Trolling?” Yeah, Trolling me! I was resting my head on the table, seething in annoyance that I had to do this… at least I could leave my friends out of it and invite five ponies I at least… knew, right?

“Hey, Twilight!” A voice said behind me, making me jump. “Whoa! Calm down! It’s just me!” I turned around to see Rainbow Dash.

“How do you do that!?” I asked. “Nevermind, now’s not a good time for whatever favor you need.”

“Actually I was here to see why I heard you screamed so loud I heard you from Cloudsdale,” oh… this was gonna be awkward. “Something happen?”

“Yeah… I got a letter from Princess Celestia,” I explained “Apparently, I’m required to go to the Grand Galloping Gala and invite five guests with me,” Rainbow Dash flinched. I could tell she didn’t want to go to the Gala again after what happened last time. “If you don’t want to go, I wasn’t gonna invite you-” I started, but she raised a hoof to get me to stop.

“DON’T… finish… that sentence…” I was confused. “I’d lose a week’s worth of sleep if I turned down your invitation, but you not inviting me? I’ll be worried with how it went for the next decade!”

“A little over the top aren’t we?” I asked.

“Not the point! The point is, if you invited me (I’d probably not like the idea) but I’d still go because you’re my friend!” I was speechless… couldn't even get that out. This was very profound, especially considering it was Rainbow Dash, the most athletic and thickheaded pony in Ponyville, if not Equestria. “Well? Aren’t you gonna say something?”

“Yeah, I’m gonna need that kind of friendship if I’m gonna survive the Gala.” I used magic to “hand” her a ticket, she read it and looked confused at one point.

“The Crystal Empire?” she asked. “This is a set up.”

“I know.”

It turns out all my friends felt the same way as Rainbow (with the exception of Pinkie who was helping with the Organization of the Gala, because… Reasons?) though they each put it differently. The day of the Gala came around and we decided to do one thing differently than last time, Stick Together. We did socialize with other ponies, but it was strange that I didn’t see my brother or Cadance yet… but nopony bothered to question it. I told the girls I would go get some drinks, making a bee line for the Buffet Table, got six cups of cherry punch and turned back to give five of them to my friends when I bumped into somepony.

“Hello again, Princess,” I heard that Familiar voice and knew who I bumped into. My heart almost beat its way out of my chest as I looked up to see Flash Sentry. He was in the same armor that he was when I last saw him, and when I asked Shining about him he told me that Flash was a private for the past five years, though he wouldn’t say why.

“Fla-” I stopped myself. “Private Sentry, good to see you again.”

“Enjoying yourself, Princess?” he asked.

“So far, but then again I’m not having the same problems that I had last time,” this seemed to pique some interest from him.

“You’ve been to another Gala before?” he asked. “What happened?”

“Applejack wasn’t getting any business, the Wonderbolts and the Colt who got Rarity’s attention were jerks, Fluttershy wasn’t making any new friends, and you don’t want to see Pinkie Pie bored." he seemed to get it.

“I’m sorry the Experience was… Less than enjoyable.”

“It ended better than it started though,” I assured. “And now… I’m looking forward to this one.” He smiled then looked a little concerned.

“Your face is red,” Oh no. “Are you feeling alright?”

“Are you on duty?” I said to avoid the question.

“Oh! Thank you for reminding me!” he rushed off to the south exit, before stopping to say something else. “I’ll get an hour Off Duty halfway through, talk to you then?”

“Yeah…” I said loud enough for him to hear. He nodded and went back to his station, I went to get more punch and back to the girls.

“There y’are Twi- are y’alright?” Applejack asked. In response, I found a table, put the drinks down, and slammed my head onto it.

“Let’s take that as a ‘no,’” Fluttershy said.

“What happened?” Pinkie Pie asked. “Did I get a stale cake that you ate a piece of?”

“No Pinkie…” I was a bit hesitant to tell them. “It’s a colt.”

“Oh, Yay!” Rarity said. “I want to hear all the details!” the other girls left except for Rainbow Dash, who wanted to make sure I “didn’t break” under Rarity’s questions. I reminded her about what Sunset Shimmer did a couple months back and told her that during that time I had my eyes on a… boy. That was Flash Sentry. Back in that world, I was sure I had a chance. I wasn’t royalty to anyone’s knowledge for a while, and besides the bad name that Sunset Shimmer was spreading (Which didn’t last long anyway), nopony had anything mean to say.

“Here… I’ve got nothing!” I sobbed. “I’m royalty, but that would intimidate anypony, I’m a neat freak who doesn’t talk to anypony who rips a page in a cookbook, and generally-”

“He’s lucky you even think about him!” Rainbow said. I looked at her in shock. “You are a great mare, any guy would be lucky to have you!”

“Even those who work for my Brother?” I queried.

“He’d probably skin them alive, but that’s a chance you have to take!” Rarity said. “Besides, you have a mouth and a mind for a reason, talk to him about it!”

---

Shining Armor

I was just about to have the Guards change stations when I noticed the long-term Private, Sentry barely looking up. I had the guards change quickly, and went to Sentry Last.

“Sentry,” I said. He didn’t make an attempt to look up. “Sentry!” I yelled a little louder. It was then that he snapped out of the daze, and saluted. “It’s time to change shifts,” I said. “Something ailing you?”

“Permission to Speak Freely sir?”

“Permission Granted,” I said.

“I think your sister is bad for my self-esteem,” I had to ask if that was a compliment. “Of sorts… I guess. You probably don’t want to hear me talk about how I see your sister, sir.”

“You like her, right?” I asked, trying not to sound… intimidating, or older brotherly.

“Yes sir.”

“Then why haven’t you asked her out by now?” he looked back into the ballroom, scanning the crowd for Twily with despondency on his face.

“I… I’m not good enough,” I know where he was coming from. He was the only Pegasus in the Air Patrol who couldn’t fly on his own because of an accident that destroyed most of the nerves in his wings. He was constantly made fun of, and just to make sure that he actually had friends, I had to yell at him, telling him he can do better, even when he’s done better than everypony in his squad! I was only on friendly terms with him whenever his armor was supposed to come off (and we both knew why) but there was still a lot going for him! In fact…

“OKAY, THAT’S IT!”

“What…?”

“Private, you are asking my sister out, THAT’S AN ORDER!” …not something I ever thought I’d say.

“Are you sure Commander?”

“ARE YOU QUESTIONING AN ORDER SOLDIER!?”

“SIR, NO, SIR!”

“THEN MOooOVE OUT!” he sprinted down the hall to change out of his Armor and into his Father’s suit, I’m sure. I let out a small chuckle as something clicked into my head for the 10,547th time, I love this job.

Comments

[SageBrony07]

That's funny. I wonder what is going to happen next. I guess we will see if shinning is ment to be a match maker or not.

[JediWaffles]

I heard that Familiar voice

and the Colt who got

I was just about to have the Guards change stations when I noticed the long-term Private, Sentry barely looking up. I had the guards change quickly, and went to Sentry Last.

He was the only Pegasus in the Air Patrol

Accidental uppercase....familiar,colt,guards,last,pegasus

[OmniFox]

(laughing) Duty.

[Neroson40]

5899205 ...Dammit Fatboi!

[Phoenix Nebula]

A bit rushed but has a lot of potential.

[RDTylenol]