1: Security Boost
Chapter 1: Security Boost
Tick...Tick….Tick….Tick. The minute hand creeped forward, slowly etching its way towards the top of the clock hanging outside the main entrance hall of Canterlot Castle, high and proud as a centrepiece above the entrance. Though it was indeed an accurate timepiece, it was there to display the wealth and glory of the school to all: students, staff and visitors. However, if the time was three forty-five PM and the day was a Wednesday, the clock’s every movement would be watched carefully and attentively: Silver Heart hated the entrance hall shift with every fiber in his body. As a guard, he was constantly subjected to ponies sticking their faces in his own, and the entrance hall was crawling with ponies who had the silly little idea that they could break a guard. The end of his shift at four could not come soon enough in the eyes of the young guard. Soon, the evening shift would come along and Silver would be free from the equal parts drudgery and aggravation that the afternoon shift brought.
After another fifteen minutes of staring mercifully at the clock, it was finally time to make the dignified march back to the barracks. Silver Heart started to make the trek back with Night Shield, his voiceless companion. They walked through the door of the barracks, both immediately losing their signature guard demeanour and sighing with relief as they joined their comrades who had already returned from their day shifts to remove armour and get slightly more comfortable.
“Heart, Hooves, Shield, Hoof! Present! Now!”
Groans could be heard from the tired, reluctant ponies just finishing their shifts. Unfortunately for the fatigued guards, a superior was a superior no matter how long the day had been. All of the summoned guards trudged into line and formed up with less-than-military precision. Once the ponies were in line and any mistakes corrected, the sergeant cleared his throat and began to talk in the typical gruff ‘sergeant’ voice that he had picked up from years of service.
“As you may already be aware, the Equestria Games are being held in the Crystal Empire in less than a fortnight, and the guards up there are spread thin. So, the decision has been made to move the Canterlot Guard’s positions to one-fifth security. Four guards from the morning, afternoon, and night shifts that have proven to be valuable assets to the royal name have been selected to be transferred temporarily to the Crystal Empire to help maintain security through the duration of the Equestria Games. We have selected you four from the afternoon shift to fulfill this task. I am obliged to tell you that we, so if you would like to be removed from this assignment, please speak now… Thunderhoof! Do you accept?”
Wow, the opportunity to visit the Crystal Empire!’ thought Silver Heart as his heart started to beat faster and faster to the point of threatening to burst out of his chest.
“Yes Sir,” Thunderhoof replied in a monotone chant.
“Sun Shield!”
I get to watch the Equestria Games! I might meet a bunch of new friends as well…
“Yes Sir!” Sunshield replied.
“Iron Hooves!”
I will get to meet the legendary Shining Armour! Maybe even get a raise!
“Yes Sir.”
“Silver Heart, do you accept”
The ponies in the locker room were now watching the display as the sergeant looked at Silver Heart. His face was emotionless as always, but not a moment of hesitation came through Silver Heart’s mind. He knew exactly what he wanted to do.
“Yes Sir!” Silver Heart replied, a faint smile creeping along his face.
“Excellent, I expect all of you to be at the barracks at 0530 hours on Sunday morning, packed, briefed, and ready for travel at 0600. You will be at the Crystal Empire for three weeks, maybe longer, so pack accordingly. Dismissed!” With that, the sergeant turned and marched from the common room, leaving the four to talk about their assignment. A smile widened upon Silver Heart’s face as it sunk in… I’m going to the Equestria Games!!
“...and this is the guest dormitory, you will find the rooms you were given have been made. If you have not been told already, we only ask of you that the room stays in the same condition in which you received it., you will receive a new voucher every night when the maid cleans your rooms. They each entitle you to three courses from the castle’s kitchen. Enjoy your stay, Gentlecolts.”
Silver Heart followed the pack of guard ponies into the wide hallway. The eastern side of the Castle, while still being a captivating sight being made entirely of crystal, was slightly roomier than the rest of the Castle. The hallway they walked down had wooden doors somehow hinged to the crystal walls looking, very out of place against the look of the walls and ceiling. Twenty doors lined the length of the hallway, which ended at what looked like the way to a common room.
With that, he left the twelve Canterlot Guards to get settled in. Each guard left to go to the room they were assigned, quick to say their goodbyes before opening their doors and stepping into their rooms. Suddenly the hallway was filled with the terrified yelps (and some squeals) of twelve stallions, followed by all of them falling out of their rooms saturated in freezing water.
The hallway was filled with shaking stallions, one with a bucket on his head as a pony further down the hall read a note found on the bed of every room. “Welcome to the Crystal Empire, we hope you enjoy the complimentary water bucket left in your room. Yours truly… The Crystal Guards.” The hallway erupted into groans and shivering as they realised what had happened.
Silver Heart was exhausted, although also an odd combination of angry and amused. These Crystal ponies know how to have a laugh, he thought. Maybe they were really nice. All positive thoughts diminished as he wrapped the room towel around him, he felt.. Sticky.. Silver heart looked down and rubbed a hoof along the towel… flour. This realisation was followed with several loud groans from the rooms next to him, it seems water on the poor guards fur had turned the flour into a dough, covering his torso in slimy flour making it’s way down his lower legs. He could only hope the shower had been left untouched.
After a warm and slightly paranoid shower, Silver Heart slumped onto the bed and finally got a chance to appreciate the room they were provided with. While it didn’t have as much glamour as the rest of the Crystal Castle, the dormitory bedrooms were quite nice for the purpose they served. A crimson quilt on the double bed made the centrepiece of the room. On each side of the bed were bulky, black bedside drawers with a lamp on both. What surprised the pony the most was the built-in wardrobe on the opposite side of the bedroom. The bathroom was linked with the room next his. Equipped with a toilet, shower, medicine cabinet and sink it was bare, but practical. Silver Heart was unfortunate enough to have to share the bathroom with Sunshield, notorious for taking showers longer than royalty. After a brief look around the rest of the room, Silver Heart clambered into the pre-made bed. One final thought lingered as his mind was slowly grasped by sleep.
Yes, this truly was going to be an interesting three weeks
...
Silver Heart’s eyes fluttered open. Slowly blinking sleep from his eyes he clinged to the last strands of peace before he sat up in his bed. Realising where he was again he got up, shivering as the cold morning clung to his fur after the warmth of the bed. He walked out of his room and made his way to the end of the hallway. Slowly hearing more and more voices as he approached the common room.
With the the age old marching routine setting his hooves on autopilot, Silver Heart made his way to his assigned post. While his face showed no emotion as he made his way there, his mind was bitter and screaming at him to get angry. Here he was at the Equestria Games, hundreds of kilometers away from home, defending a records room. He and a random Crystal Pony were assigned the afternoon shift over quadrant 2 section 3… Record Keeping. This was going to be a long shift. At least he wasn’t alone, the Crystal pony was being briefed in the Crystal Guard’s own briefing, they were keeping the Canterlot ponies separate for briefing, at least until they settled in.
After much mental grumbling he finally made his way to the assigned post to see the crystal pony waiting for him, the traditional guard stance and emotionless features standing in front of the record room door, the guard’s eyes found Silver Heart’s and pony took a half step to stand on one side of the door, Silver Heart took the notion and placed himself on the other side of the door.
‘This is gonna be a boring shift, that is for certain… ’ Silver Heart thought to himself, ‘Nopony, will come around, I wonder how strict the Crystal Guards are?’
Silverheart scanned the surrounding branch of the hallway, no one was going to come by today, it was the opening of the Equestria Games, everypony would be outside. With hesitation, Silver decided that with such a boring shift, it was time he talked to this other gua-
“Uhh, H-Hi.”
Silver’s eyes widened as he realised that the Crystal pony was thinking the same thing. He didn’t know what to say, he let the moment be filled with silence before he could figure out what to say.
“Sorry, I-I wasn’t quite sure how you Canterlot… nevermind.”
“My name is Silver Heart, don’t worry, we’re probably as professional as you are when nopony is looking.”
Awkward silence ensued, it must have been five minutes at the most, but the emptiness made it feel like an hour.
He is going to tell his superiors, oh sweet Celestia, he is going to get me sent back to Canterlot, then probation and all the mocking and all the heckling.
“Hi, Silverheart, I uhh, I’m Starry Scroll, my parents thought I would be a poet.”
Relief flooded Silver Hearts body as he realised that Starry Scroll isn’t going to be telling his the superiors about the talking. He continued to stare straight ahead a smile and a brief chuckle reaching his eyes.
“I betch’ya get sick of saying the last part, nice to meet you, Starry Scroll.”
A smile managed to creep across Silverheart’s face in his mind, the emotionless face being expertly crafted and unchanged, it wasn’t going to be that long of a shift anymore. Little to his knowledge, the Crystal guard standing on the other side of the doorway was thinking the exact same thing.
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bed
I enjoyed it, and also I'll watch you. I like your stories so far. (I like M/M shipping)
7787739
Oopsies! thanks for that, all fixed
Please do more. I already ship it XD
7788664
I very much intend to