Dinner Date
Hello there. My name is Flash Sentry.
And I am probably going to die tonight.
This is not a story about me fighting off a horde of Changelings, or slaying a mighty ursa major. This is also not about me stopping the return of Sunset Shimmer, or going hoof-to-paw/hoof or...whatever Discord is made out of on the lower half of his body, in a powerful and climatic battle. No, this is about a simple, yet deadly encounter with a force that is far more powerful than all of the previously mentioned forces combined;
An overly protective father and brother.
I would give Twilight the entire universe on a silver platter, if that is what she had requested. It probably would've been easier to do that, than what I was doing now.
"Flash, you have to meet my parents! Please!"
"But babe...your brother is my boss...he could flip my world around, if things don't go right. And that's just him! What if your parents don't like me?"
Twilight rolled her eyes, "Honey, you are handsome, and sweet, and charming, and are the most amazing thing to have come into my life...and that's saying alot!" she gave me a small peck on the lips, "You're somepony that my parents just HAVE to know about. I already talk about you to them, so they might as well see the face of the stallion of my dreams!" she snuggled up to me, "I promise, you will do fine. Just don't worry too much."
"Alright, my princess...if you say so."
Perhaps I should've asked for a little bit more time. Time to plan out a proper strategy for a situation like this. But right now, I had no plan. No set way on how to stay alive against them. But I am a Strong Wind Soldier, dammit. I am one of the strongest Pegasian soldiers around, and one of the best. Which also meant that I would adapt and overcome this.
Her mother, Twilight Velvet, has been kind to me so far. We engaged in light conversation, and I even made her giggle a few times (although, each time I did so, I could practically see the seething rage radiating off of her husband), But the pros outweighed the cons, for I had made her my ally. Her and my beautiful marefriend are my only two buffers against the onslaught of death glares that originated from Shining Armor and their father.
Their father...Night Light. Perhaps it is the simple fact that he is the father of an Equestrian Princess and Prince/Captain of the Crystal Guard Army, but it seemed like he could destroy me with a simple flicker of his horn. How valiant it would be though. I would be splayed out on the floor, my head being gently caressed by my beautiful Twilight. A few tears slide down my face as I tell her I love her. She tells me she loves me back, and says that I would've made an amazing Pegasus Prince. I smile at her beauty as strands of her luscious mane fall around her face as she-
"Is there something funny, colt?" Night Light asked in a hardened voice. "You had a strange smile on your face."
"More like goofy ass smile." Shining mumbled loudly, which Twilight responded with a hard elbow to his side.
"Oh, no sir. I had simply recalled a funny incident from back when I first moved into the barracks back in Canterlot.” I cooly reply.
“I remember sneaking into the barracks to hang out with the stallions and mares…” Velvet spoke dreamily.
Night Light rubbed the side of his temple, “Honey, I don’t want to kn-”
“Oh hush, Nightie.” Velvet cut her husband off, “It’s not like I was sleeping around with any of them. Well, except for this one mare-”
“MOM!!” Shining and Twilight shout in unison, while I contain a smile, and Night Light arched a brow.
“A mare, huh?” Night Light inquired, “I uh...would like to hear that story.”
“Absolutely not, Night Light!” Velvet scolded, “That is not a story for the dinner table, and certainly not in front of the kids.” She turns back to me, “So Flash, tell me, where exactly do you work in the military?”
“I’m a Strong Wind soldier in Sky Blaze Platoon. I’m in the Equine-Nox Force Recon Battalion.” I politely answer.
Velvet gasped, “The Equine-Nox? Wow…They are the most powerful battalion in all of Equestria’s military branches.” She rubbed a loving hoof on Night Light’s shoulder, “Nightie here used to be a soldier with them himself .”
That would explain the amazing bearing. Or it could still be the fact that I can see the dislike for me written all over his face. Alas, one can be hopeful. I’m still curious as to what he was though.
“Oh really? Sir, if you don’t mind me asking, what were you?”
Night Light smirked a little bit, “I was Commander Light of the Mind Breaker Platoon.”
I can’t help but gawk, “You’re THE Commander Light? Commanding General of Mind Breaker Platoon for 22 years straight, and one of the most powerful unicorns in recorded military history?!”
He nods and chuckles, “The one and only. I see you know your military knowledge.”
I rise from my seat and salute him. Active Duty or Retired, this stallion deserved the utmost respect. “It is an honor to meet you, sir!”
No wonder it looked like he could destroy me with a flicker of his horn. He really could! The older soldiers and captains had told us stories of how when he was still just a Will Crusher soldier, he would simply look into an enemy’s eyes and melt their brain with his magic. My heart suddenly dropped to my stomach, though, I wouldn’t let my bearing down for the family to see that. What if…what if he was trying to kill me? Twilight wouldn’t even know it, she’d probably just think I would’ve died with a heart attack or something! She’d never know that her father just murdered me at the dinner table-
“SENTRY!!” Shining’s voice boomed. I turn to him,
“Yes, Your Majesty?”
“Dad said you can sit down.”
I stare at him a little bit too long.
“So…sit down.”
I immediately sit back in my chair. The battlefield has changed now. Not only was I dealing with Twilight and Shining’s father, whom I still had no true intelligence on when it came to his personal life, I was sitting across from the most powerful Unicornian Commanding General to have ever been in control of Mind Breaker Platoon, the strongest Unicorn Force Recon Platoon to ever exist.
Shit just got real.
Night Light cleared his throat, “So tell me a little bit about yourself, Sentry. Any good war stories for me?”
I almost smile again. In his eyes, I now had a name. That was a start. But…for a stallion who has been in command during battles for two decades, and had probably seen combat even longer than that, what could I tell him about? What battle could I have fought, that would possibly be deemed amazing in his eyes? Wait, why should I impress him? I’ve already impressed the mare of my dreams. Twilight already loved me, no matter what. But…in order to please Twilight, I need to impress her family. And in pleasing her family, I’ll make her happy. What if I fail? They won’t be impressed, and this would have all be for nothing. I feel like I’m in a paradox or something right now-
"Babe?"
I look over at my beautiful marefriend. She stares back at with me perplexed eyes. I look around table to see the other three are looking at me as well.
"Babe, did you just have the 'flashbacks'?" Twilight asks.
Velvet rises from her chair, "Oh dear, Nightie still has day and nightmares too-"
"Honey!-"
"What dear, I just want to make sure he's okay!" she trots over to sit next to me, her daughter taking my other side. "Relax and take slow, deep breaths, hon."
Oh geez, she is way too close. She smells really nice though. Like, clean fabric and lavender blossoms. I can see why Night Light would be attracted to her. She also seems to be a very nice mare. And after hearing that tiny detail of her messing with the mares back in her day, she's probably still a lady in the streets and a freak in the sheets. She looks great for her age too. Hmmm...I wonder if I can get her and Twilight to...no, that'd just be wrong for my beautiful princess. But still...two Twilights would be pretty hot-
A lavender hoof caresses my chin, "Babe, you're spacing out again..."
I look down at her again, "I'm sorry, I didn't sleep too well last night. I guess it's starting to get to me."
"Well, you need to snap out of it, soldier. You're starting to scare the ladies."
I wet my lips, "My apologies, Your Majesty." Now's the chance to make both mares feel special, "The last thing I want to do is scare the princess and queen of the house."
Twilight smiles and places a quick peck on my cheek. Velvet giggles and lightly slaps my shoulder,
"Oh, stop it, you! You're terrible."
Night Light snorts, "Alright, that's enough now." his eyes grow hard again. I avert my gaze to avoid any possible brain melting. "You still haven't given me any details. How's the old Equine-Nox doing anyway?"
"We're doing well, actually." I take a couple bites of my crisp almond salad. "They sent my squad with a squad from Mountain Movers, to go and investigate a possible threat of a new Changeling Hive underneath the western part of Everfree Forest. We ended up killing about 35 to 40 Changelings."
Night Light smirked, "I see that my son is keeping you busy."
Twilight leered at her brother, "Yes Daddy...keeping him busy, and in danger."
Shining rolled his eyes, "He's a Strong Wind Soldier, Twilight. He's a highly trained and combat ready warrior. He can handle himself just fine."
"That's very true, Twilight." I agree with her brother, "As a matter of fact, most of the missions I get sent on are comparable to a slow trot through a spring field."
Shining snorted angrily, while Night Light looked on in amusement.
"The Changeling Hive investigation was trivial for you, was it?" Shining tapped his chin, "Then...perhaps a young stallion like yourself will want to hear about an upcoming mission." he smirked a little bit, "A Griffin camp was sighted about 237 miles east of Manehattan. We've got squads from Sky Blaze keeping an eye out on it to make sure they don't do anything funny. We can send your squad out on the next rotation that's in four days."
Dammit...looks like I'll be sleeping in some tree canopies for nearly a week instead of with my princess in our comfy, fluffed up bed. But I can see right through his little ploy...
He wants to play a game of One-Up? Then we'll play One-Up.
"But sir, griffins aren't as tough as everypony says. They're just fluffly little tweeters. Perhaps you should send me on a mission where I stop the return of the Changeling Queen herself. After all, I handled 28 of the those Changelings myself."
Shining did the one thing I have never seen, and I almost missed it;
He smirked.
"Oh, you did now, Sentry?"
I give a slight nod, letting him know I'm challenging him, "Yes, I did. I firmly believe that my squad and I are perfectly capable of handling something greater than playing 'Tag' with a couple of griffins."
His smirk was returning, a little bit bigger this time, "I'm sure I can find a good mission that would be...worthy of your skills."
My chest puffs out a little bit, "I welcome it, Your Majesty. Our squad would prefer something that's not...'child's play'."
Shining's chest started to mirror my own, "We found the hive that Chrysalis is in control of. Your squad will go and take care of that insect."
Twilight looked like she was about to say something, but I cut her off, "Why waste my entire squad's time? I can take care of her all on my own!"
Shining snorted, "Discord is starting up a new kingdom and going against his Reforming Contract! You can handle that, I assume?"
I sneered, "I will reform him with one hoof tied behind my back!"
Shining rises, "My father wishes to challenge you in a one-on-one battle! Surely you don't think you can handle that, can you, colt?"
I rise too, and slam a hoof on the table, "I may not win that fight, but I would damn sure try anyway! And I'd keep fighting until I died. And I'd take on Chrysalis, and Discord, and any monster, devil, demon, plague, ANY THREAT, that could hurt my dear Twilight, because I am IN LOVE with her. I love her so much, that if I had to choose between loving her and breathing, I would use the last bit of air in my lungs to tell her how much I love her. I would give her all of Equestria, all of the world to her, if I could. And if the only way I can prove to Twilight that I love her, is to take on a past Mind Breaker Commanding General, and you, the Prince of the Crystal Empire, and Captain of the Crystal Guard, then I will. I'd do it, over and over again!"
I took a couple deep heaving breathes. It took me a moment to realize that I had stunned everypony at the table into silence. Oh Dear Gods, I had just yelled my boss, the Prince of the Crystal Empire. I just yelled at THE Commander Light. I had yelled at both of them, and probably looked like an asshole in front of Velvet and Twilight, the only two ponies who had my back throughout the entire dinner. The silence gets heavier with each passing second. Every soldier is trained not to freeze, yet...I can't move a muscle. I also can't speak...another sign of weakness. The silence so heavy, that I feel like I'm going deaf-
Night Light slammed his hoof on the table, "You've impressed me, son!" he stood up, and shook my hoof, "You've earned my respect, and my approval to be with my little silly filly."
"Daddy!" Twilight pouted. "I'm not a silly filly..."
I can only gawk as my foreleg wobbles up and down from the shake. Shining gives a hard pound on my back,
"You've proven what many stallions can't do; unwavering courage in the face of any force." he chuckled, "We usually scare off the colts that think they're stallions. You were quite the challenge."
I slowly nodded, "T-thank you, Your Majesty." I let out a small (BUT VERY MANLY) giggle of relief. Good job, Flash Sentry. Good Job...
Night Light rises from the table and trots to the door, "Well let's go, Sentry. We don't have all night."
I look over at him, completely befuddled, "Pardon me, sir...but what where are we going?"
The dark blue Unicorn snorted, "Well, we've got to do our one-on-one duel. After all, you said you'd do it to prove you love my daughter." he turned and smirked at me, "And I haven't scrapped in a while. So...I look forward to pounding you into the dirt."
My eyes widen and I can't help but gulp.
FFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCKKKKK.