Meet the foalsitter

Canterlot Palace Gates. 5:20 PM

…10 more minutes to the end of the shift; can’t wait to get home and rest. Gate duty is the most boring post in the entire guard, and it does not help that the other guard called in sick..; lying bastard. I know he is not sick; I saw him fly with a mare not even 10 minutes in my shift... I wonder were Ink is? He was supposed to come today to inform me if they approved it or not.

"Hey Draft!!!!" came the energetic voice of a smaller-than-normal yellow unicorn stallion with really short green mane and an ink pen for a cutie mark approached the gates.

Speaking of the devil.

"Sorry I’m late... got distracted when... came across Joe´s..... are you angry?" asked Ink catching his breath.

*Wink*

"Ok... one wink means no... ok... they gave us the all clear we start next month!!" Ink exclaimed.

Finally!! Oops almost smiled there. Keep calm... keep calm... we celebrate at home.

"Do you believe you are going to be able to start next week?"

*Wink*

"What!? Why not?" asked Ink, confused.

…

"Oh right. You are on duty so you can’t talk..."

...

"Did you fall out of bed today?" asked Ink with dread.

*wink**wink*

"But nothing happened yet?"

*wink**wink*

"Ok...." said Ink nervously. "It’s getting late... I left the cake in the oven... talk to me when you are ready to start..." He turned around and started running "Bye!!"

Coward!

And just like that, I’m left alone in the gates once more, I didn’t blame him. I would run if I could. A lot of ponies call me an idiot because I believe that when the first thing in the morning you do is falling of your bed it is going to be a bad day. I don’t know what will happen, but I am certain that something is going to ruin my day. At least it has not happened… yet.

Most guards joined the army because they wanted to serve their country. Others joined because it’s mostly an easy job. I, however, joined the guard because I said I was going to be one when I was a colt. That was before I learned that my special talent was creating stories for comics or foals books, but boy I am a stubborn one. If I say I’m going to do something, I do it regardless of how I feel about it, like dressing like a princess because the birthday filly says it’s a princess party and you can only go if you look like one (in my defense that cake looked soooo good). So here I stand: a red coated, white maned unicorn guard talented in creating foals stories named Draft Script.

That yellow unicorn was Ink Well. We are working together to try publishing our own comic. I created the story and he drew it because I can’t draw to save my own life and he has no idea how to write. He came by to tell me that we finally got the resources to start printing, but until I know what will ruin the day, I can’t tell him to start yet.

"Draft Script we are here for the next shift. You may leave now," came the voice of one of the new pair of guards, I don’t really remember their names because all the guards look the same: white fur and blue mane.

"Thank you sir," I salute and depart trying to leave as soon as possible.

"Wait," said the other guard. I stop. "Princess Celestia sent for you. She is waiting in her chambers," he said as he took position at the gates.

I nodded and departed for the princess’s chambers.

That’s strange. The princess never calls for me. I wonder why she needs me. I’m one of the worst among the guards. I barely passed boot camp.

I made my way through the castle to the princess chambers. Once there I knocked on the door thrice, then two more times as instructed in the guards manual.

"Come in," came the voice of the princess through the door.

I did as I was told and entered while scanning the room for clues of the reason the princess may needed me, but I find none. She was calm, and had her normal gentle smile. Nothing was attacking, there are no stains of any kind so it was not a prank from Luna, and there was a little plate with a fork so she had already eaten her evening slice of cake.

"Daft Script, you are probably wondering why I called for you," she stated. I nodded. "There’s been an accident and I believe you can help control the situation."

"Of course princess. What can I do to help?" I asked and she smiled, but I feel something: a chill down my back.

"Well you see, not more than an hour ago my fateful student Twilight Sparkle was practicing her magic; she was trying to perform an age spell when one of her friends broke her concentration. This caused Twilight to lose control of the spell," Celestia told me while she started walking to her bed. I then took notice of six little fillies sleeping on it.

OH HELL NO!! I knew where this was going, and I didn’t like were this is going. I started to look for an exit and realized that the door had been locked; I tried the next logical exit.... the window.....

I jump through the window smashing the glass without hesitation.... only to be caught in the princess’s magic.NOOOO!!!!!

"Draft Script, your mission will be to look after these six until they can be returned to normal. Do you accept?"

NO I REFUSE I REFUSE I REFUSE I REFU-"I accept" CURSE YOU GUARD MANUAL! COURSE YOU!!!!

"Thank you Draft Script. I knew I could count on you," she said while smiling at me. She knew that the guards are allowed to reject any order that goes beyond their designated roles, mine been door guard, and she also knew that the manual of the guards says, and I quote, a good guard will gladly accept any given task regardless of personal feelings. Because I said that I was going to become a good, code-following guard, I had to accept.

Not the first time she’s done this, at least this time I don’t have to steal princess Luna’s personal diary; she hunted my dream for two weeks after that.

*sigh*"How long until they can be cured, princess?" I asked while rubbing my forehead with a hoof.

"We are not sure, but it can’t be more than a month; that I can assure you. We will give you some bonuses for your troubles, I have given them fake memories; they believe their parents are traveling and have left them in your care. Once they are cured, we will make their memories blurry so the remember staying in Canterlot in their childhood but not who was the one that looked after them and who were the other fillies, my student may clear her memories with a spell but I doubt she will tell her friends she accidently turned all six of them in fillies, also you will also not be alone I have contacted one that knows the six very well. He will arrive tomorrow around three PM. Once in your house, you will see that you have been given some supplies that you will need for this mission."

*sigh* "Yes your majesty." I salute and pick up the fillies in a crib and depart for home.

I knew it was going to be a bad day.