Flash Sentry trotted down the majestic streets of Ponyville. It was late evening, and he was headed his way to meet up with his friends in their favorite tavern of the town, “The Tipsy Horse”. He was not wearing his Royal Guard uniform, as instead, he wore a loose shirt and dark jeans. The pegasus was still muddled that the Princess Of Love had asked him to be the personal guard of the Princess of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle. The name seemed familiar to him of course, he knew her as the mare that constantly bumped into him around the castle. But the puzzled expression on his face soon disappeared when he entered the nightclub, and immediately spotted his friends all sitting together in a small, round table. The loud dubstep music buzzed through the floor and walls as he walked toward his friends and took a seat besides the bulky stallion, Lightning Twister.


“Oh, look who finally showed up!”

“Shut up.. I’m not in the mood.”

“What’s wrong, dude? You look like a lost colt.” Steam teased while handing the guard a beer.

Flash Sentry rolled his eyes in annoyance as he opened the glass bottle with his bare teeth. “If I tell you, you won’t believe me.”

“Tell us! It’s not as if you have anything else important to say about yourself.”

“Riiiiiight.. Anyhow.. I have been ordered to look after the Princess of Friendship tonight.. A Personal Guard, I guess you can say..”

“..Twilight Sparkle? No bucking way! Dude.. that’s some serious shit. I mean, we just guard the castle. We hardly ever see the Princesses!” Shouted Lightning with a raspy voice.

“It’s not a really big deal.. I just don’t know why Princess Cadence chose me… I mean, Twilight’s a freaking alicorn with magical friendship powers or something! And I’m just.. Well.. Me..” Flash replied with thoughts rampaging through his mind.

“Hah! Well this calls for a toast!” Lightning declared as he simultaneously raised his cup of beer and clinked his glass with the others. “For our friend here, Flash Sentry!”

Hours passed. To nopony’s surprise, Steam Blade was the first to get drunk, soon followed by Sentry. Blade demanded his somewhat sober friends to huddle around him as he spoke in a raspy voice.

“You guys, you guys..” Steam hiccuped.

“What is it, you idiot?”

“I was thinking about what Flash said earlier. How he could ask any mare out with no problem. Does that still remain true?”

Flash perked his ears, processing Blade’s words in his “near to being completely drunk” stage of mind. The orange pegasus wasn’t thinking about what he was saying, he just simply nodded with a grin.

“Well then, Sentry.. How about a small bet?”

“A bet?”

“Yep. You can’t bail out of it though.”

“Oh I see where this is going. You pick the mare?”

“Now we’re talking!”

“Hah! All good with me. I’m ready!” Flash blurted with confidence.

“Well, unfortunately she is not here. But you know her. Or you soon will."

* * *
And here he was, Flash Sentry pacing back and forth with anxiety besides a lonely bench in Ponyville before returning to his guard duty. This time, he was not traveling back to the Crystal Empire. This time, he was ordered to stay in Ponyville to guard Princess Twilight Sparkle. But the stallion was clearly not sober enough to protect such a princess this late. He tried to sober up by eating and drinking water, but to hardly no avail. He just released a heavy sigh, and splattered his face with water from the town’s fountain. The pegasus fluttered his wings and placed the silver helmet on his head. And to worsen things, he had agreed on a bet that would change his life. He was dared to ask Princess Twilight Sparkle out on a date. Too many things were happening in his mind, and too fast. Flash Sentry decided to shrug off his anxiety and confusion while he headed toward Ponyville’s castle.


After half an hour of slow walking, he finally arrived to the doorsteps of the Princess. He immediately saw the other six guards swarming around the castle looking out for any danger or threat. The stallion sighed at his new job and walked up the short staircase to reach the entrance. He raised a hoof and gently knocked on the mahogany door. It took a while, but the door finally opened and revealed the beautiful, purple princess on the other side. Twilight Sparkle was wearing a casual velvet gown which she used as pajamas. Flash Sentry respectfully bowed before his Princess, meanwhile Twilight tilted her head to the left in embarrassment.

“There’s no need for that.” Twilight stated softly. It wasn’t until when the stallion stood up from his kneeling and took off his helmet that Twilight realized it was Flash Sentry. She widened her eyes and discretely blushed at the stallion she met from the human world. “I am guessing that Princess Cadence assigned you as my personal guard?”

“That is correct, your highness.”

“Oh.. How.. Thoughtful of her… Hmm.. What.. What do personal guards do?”

“We serve to follow the royal around at all times and protect them at all costs.”

“...Are you okay?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“You look like you’re going to throw up!”

“Oh..” Flash said as he shook his pale face to bring in some color. “I’m fine.”

“...Do you.. Remember me?”

Flash Sentry interlocked his eyes with Twilight’s. “Of course I do!”

Twilight expanded a smile of hope.

“You’re the mare I always bump into!”

But just as quick, her smiled disappeared. “Yeah.. haha..”

“What? Did I say something?”

“Hm? No, no, no.. I confused you with somepony else.”

“I see.” Flash stated as he raised his muzzle to the dark sky. “Well, it’s getting late. I’m sure you are ready to hit the hay. I’ll be waiting outside your room-”

“Actually,” Twilight interrupted, “I like reading at night. I was planning on visiting the park to finish reading my current favorite book!”

“Ugh.. Oh, I mean of course! Excellent.. Then I’ll need to stay up all night with you at that matter.” Flash said while expanding a fake smile.

Twilight nodded, grabbing her book from her saddle and trotting out her castle. Flash groaned in annoyance at his job, and silently followed the Princess behind her.

“You can go, if you want.”

“..huh?”

“It’s not like you love to stay up all night protecting somepony you know who won’t be in danger. I can protect myself.”

“I’ve been given strict orders, Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

“Very well. I appreciate you following them.” The unicorn said as she continued her way to her secluded destination.

Now’s your chance! Flash Sentry thought. Just ask her out and get it over with! You can’t bail out in this one, you’ll be humiliated for the rest of your life by your stupid friends! Gah, why am I friends with them anyway?! Flash’s thought was interrupted when he crashed against the trunk of a tree. Twilight giggled in a cute way of his act while he blushed.

“Are you alright?” Twilight giggled as she unfolded a purple towel with her magic and placed it on the ground, then laid on top it.

“Y-Yeah..” he responded, blinking at the flying birds circling his head.

Twilight Sparkle smiled at the pegasus, then opened her book to Chapter 43 with her magic. She didn’t say a word after the incident, her eyes remained glued to the pages as she fluttered her wings because of the fresh breeze. Flash awkwardly stood just a meter away from her, sighing of boredom and hating his job. He waited patiently for 30 minutes for Twilight to finish her novel, but still to no avail. The stallion even began to count stars after a while to pass the time. He wanted to sleep off the drinks he had with his friends. He wanted to lay down on a soft mattress and fall into a dreamless sleep. He did not want to be in Ponyville, he wanted to return back to his home in Canterlot and go on from there. But here he was, guarding a Princess 24/7 that he was suppose to ask out on a date as soon as possible. The guard twitched his ears to the unexpected delightful sound of snoring behind him. When he turned, he found the Princess of Friendship had fallen asleep with the book open and the pages serving her as a mask. If that wasn’t so bad, small drops of rain began to fall and drip down Flash’s armor.

Great! Just great! This is just what I needed. Flash thought while rolling his eyes. He walked toward the alicorn, and observed her closely. He noticed how radiant her mane was under the moonlight. The pegasus quietly picked her up and placed her on his back, feeling her smooth coat laid against his. Twilight snored softly while “hugging” the stallion from behind. Flash Sentry flared his wings and skillfully soared in the air back to Ponyville’s castle.


To be continued..