Somewhere, somehow, somepony cried out into the night.
After a moment, the cry was answered. “Azimuth! Corporal Azimuth!”
Holding his torn-open flank with a shattered foreleg, he replied, “Argh… y-yes?”
“Are you all right?”
He received a muffled grunt in response. At that, the uninjured one ran off to a couple of other soldiers a few yards away. After sharing a few brief words with them, he came galloping back.
“Hang on just a little bit longer, sir! Firelight and Sprocket just left for basecamp. They’ll be back with the medics in no time at all!”
Azimuth clenched his teeth, looking down at his wounds. The gash from the spear dug inches into his flank, jagged and uneven. His foreleg lay on the floor before him, snapped in three different places with the bone protruding from two. “I-it’s too late, Evergreen. Tell them not to worry about me.”
Evergreen’s lips pursed, the sides of his frown being pulled even lower by the gravity of the situation. “Don’t talk like that, sir. It’s not too late for you.”
Azimuth managed a smile as the numbness slowly overtook him. “Open your eyes, boy. A thunderstorm is about to hit us, we’re under enemy fire, and I’m going to bleed out before those fools even reach basecamp, let alone bring medics back here. Hell, it’s a miracle that I’m still talking to you right now.”
Evergreen’s lip quivered, a harbinger for the tears to come. “But here has to be something that we can—”
“Evergreen!”
His ears splayed, head falling ever lower. “S-sorry, sir.”
The older stallion’s expression softened. “It’s alright, Evergreen. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that.”
Looking down at the growing pool of blood on the ground around Azimuth, Evergreen winced. “It… it’s alright, sir.”
From nowhere, Azimuth began to hack up blood and phlegm onto the ground beside him. Evergreen opened his mouth to ask if he was alright, but decided against it; he already knew the answer.
Evergreen sat down next to Azimuth, biting his lip to stop its trembling. “This… this wasn’t supposed to happen, you know…”
“What do you mean, Private?”
“I mean that none of this was supposed to happen!” Evergreen erupted, his voice cracking up an octave. “This was just supposed to be a stupid exploration mission! We were supposed to scout the area for Zebrican activity, and then report back to basecamp. It was going to be quick and easy, just like Sarge said. H-he told us that y-you were going to get p-promoted…”
He scratched the stubbles on his chin, waiting a moment before answering. “…Can I tell you something, Evergreen?”
Meeting Azimuth’s gaze, he nodded weakly.
“I don’t agree with you. I… I think that this was meant to happen.”
“W-what do you mean?” he asked.
“I… I knew my life would be on the line when I enlisted. I took that risk, and I don’t regret it. I’ve fought alongside some amazing ponies, and I’ve made some irreplaceable friends along the way. If anything, this—” he stopped to gesture widely around him “—was a blessing.”
“But what about—”
A large crackle of thunder cut him off mid-thought. Drizzle began to roll from the clouds, the dull pitter-patter of the little droplets of water lulling them into a heavy silence.
“Evergreen,” Azimuth started, his voice hoarse and raspy, “throughout my forty years of living, I’ve learned that life is all about taking chances. I took a chance when I asked for my wife’s hoof in marriage. I took a chance when I became a father. I took a chance when I enlisted in the Guard, and when I agreed to be stationed way out here, and even when I accepted this very scouting mission. Not every chance I’ve taken has worked out in my favor, but that’s fine. Do you know why?”
“W-why?”
“Because no matter what happens, I know that I gave it my all. Maybe it didn’t work out for me in the end, but not everything will. When all is said and done, what matters is that I took the chance.”
“…”
“…”
“Can I ask you a question, Sir?”
Azimuth leaned back against the tree behind him, letting out a grunt of exertion. “Shoot.”
“How come you enlisted so late in life?”
Azimuth’s eyes closed, his lips curling into a smile. “My father enlisted when he was twenty-one. He served for years, and when he finally passed away a few months back, I promised him I would carry on his legacy.”
Lips pursed, Evergreen said, “That was very noble of you, sir.”
Azimuth shot him a wan smile. “Not really. I’m sure you’ve got a better reason for enlisting.”
“If I’m being honest with you, sir, it was pretty much instinctive. My three older brothers all enlisted right out of high school, so I did the same.”
Azimuth’s breathing picked up. Every time he spoke, he had to stop between words in order to properly articulate himself. With a sigh, he managed, “I should’ve… enlisted while… I was still young. That’s my… only regret.”
“Why? You still carried on your father’s legacy, and you were a damn good leader while you were at it,” said Evergreen.
“I led… a squad… of three ponies. That hardly… counts as… leadership,” he wheezed.
“But you’ve always led us better than any other Sergeant could have. You are a role model to us all, sir,” he said. “You… you are like a second father to me…”
“Was,” Azimuth corrected, voice shaking more and more with each passing second. “I was… like a second… father… to you.”
For a moment, silence reigned. Neither of them said anything. There simply wasn’t anything left to say. They merely sat there and listened to the rain slide off the trees and onto the cold, wet ground, waiting, hoping, praying for some sort of salvation.
It was torture.
Evergreen couldn’t help but notice the ever-constant stream of blood flowing from Azimuth’s flank. He swallowed the lump in his throat, hoping that it wasn’t as bad as it looked.
It was Azimuth who broke the silence. “I’ve lost… feeling… in my legs.”
“Azimuth!”
“I… it’s been an honor… to serve with you… Evergreen. Same with… Firelight… and Sprocket. Be sure to… tell them that when… they come… to get you.”
Evergreen choked back a sob. “Don’t talk like that! You… you can still make it through this! I… I’m sure that the others are arriving as we speak. I’m sure of it!”
Like a butterfly, Azimuth’s eyes fluttered shut. With his lips curled into one last smile, he said, “Goodbye… Evergreen. We’ll… meet… again… someday.”
“G-goodbye, Corporal. I… I’ll miss you.”
The heavens broke open at last, and rain poured down on them. Each heavy droplet was like another knife to Evergreen’s gut.
He was alone once more.
Unable to fight back the tears any longer, he threw himself at Azimuth’s lifeless body. He sobbed silently into the matted fur of his friend’s chest, his own salty tears mixing with Azimuth’s blood. He lay there, alone, for an eternity.
Somewhere, somehow, somepony cried out into the night.
Flash Sentry rapped on the office door. When nopony answered, he eased it open. Sitting inside was Captain Shining Armor, buried in piles upon piles of paperwork. He couldn’t help but notice Shining Armor looked much different without his golden armor on. His mane
Flash was suddenly very aware of his own armor resting on his back. Fidgeting in place, he cleared his throat, causing Shining Armor to look up.
Upon seeing Flash, he said, “Take a seat, Lieutenant.”
Flash did as he was told.
Once Flash was situated in his seat, Shining Armor sighed. “Do you know why you’re here, Flash Sentry?”
“No, sir.”
Shining slammed a hoof down onto his desk, causing the pens and pencils on his desk to jump. “You’re lying to me,” he spat. “Let’s try this again. Do you know why you’re here, Flash Sentry?”
Flash’s stomach leapt into his throat. “Y-yes, sir.”
“Then humor me. Why are you here?”
Flash’s eyes darted around the room, looking everywhere but at Shining Armor.
Shining glowered down at him. “Well? I’m waiting.”
With a sigh, Flash said, “I am here because I acted insubordinately, sir.”
“You acted insubordinately of whom, Flash Sentry?”
“…I acted insubordinately of Lieutenant Starlight, sir.”
Shining Armor abruptly stood up from his seat, gesturing for Flash to do the same. After taking a few steps out the door, he turned around and motioned for Flash to follow him. “Let’s go for a walk, shall we?”
Flash took a few tentative steps out of the room, following a pace or two behind Shining. Before long, they had passed the commons room and the kitchens, heading further and further down the endless hallway.
Without looking to make sure Flash was there, Shining Armor said, “I like to think of myself as a fairly reasonable stallion. I know that there are two sides to every story, and I’d be more than willing to give you a chance to explain yourself. Does that sound reasonable to you, Flash?”
“Yes, sir.”
Shining Armor took a left turn up a winding flight of stairs. They exited out onto the balcony from there, coming to an abrupt stop just shy of the ledge. They were on the highest tower of Canterlot Castle, giving them an amazing view of the magnificent city. They could see every little nook and cranny of Equestria from their vantage point.
“Alright. I’m going to regret asking this, but what happened last night?” asked Shining.
Flash Sentry gulped, staring down at his hooves. “Well, I had been drinking and—”
Shining Armor erupted into a fit of boisterous laughter. “You were drinking on duty?! You keep digging yourself deeper and deeper into this hole, Lieutenant.”
Flash’s face flushed even brighter. “So, uh, last night I was standing guard right here. I had been drinking so I don’t remember it all that well, but I think that was when Lieutenant Starlight stopped by to question me—”
“—Rightfully so,” he interrupted.
Flash clenched his teeth, fighting back the urge to lash out at his superior. “Uh, so she started to question me, and I… made a few harsh remarks.”
“What exactly did you say to her, Flash?”
He cleared his throat, all color draining from his face. “Well… when she said I should be watching over Canterlot instead of drinking, I told her that she should be in the kitchen making me a sandwich instead of complaining.”
“And then…?”
“Then she told me to cut the crap, so I told her to suck it… among a few other things.”
Shining Armor chuckled disapprovingly. “Oh boy. Let’s cut to the chase here, Flash. The fact of the matter is that you’re a Second Lieutenant and Starlight is a First Lieutenant. She is your superior. You have to listen to her.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Also, let’s not forget that in six months, she still has a squeaky clean track record. You… you’ve barely been here for a week and you’ve already got a reputation.”
“Yes, sir.”
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting Canterlot into a trance. Radiant oranges and pinks stretched across the summer-sunset sky, illuminating the city in a surreal glow.
Looking out over the city, Shining Armor sighed. “Flash Sentry, you’ve been charged with insubordination, sexual harassment, and reckless endangerment. By all counts, I should kick you from the Royal Guard.”
Flash’s ears perked up, his eyes big and hopeful. “Should?”
“Yes, I should. But I won’t.”
Flash broke out into an enormous grin. “Thank you so much, sir! I promise that it won’t happen again—”
“I never said that you were off the hook, Lieutenant.”
“…Oh.”
“Have you heard of Operation Exploration, Lieutenant?”
“Yes. Their goal was to map out the uncharted territory just north of the Zebrican Isles, sir.”
Shining nodded. “A whole battalion, lead by Lieutenant Colonel Shooting Star, was forged under that mission. There were five hundred and ninety-seven soldiers working under him, all of them a valuable asset to Equestria’s Royal Guard.”
“…Why are you telling me all of this, sir?” Flash asked.
Shining looked out over the city once more, his eyes dark and misty. “Two hundred and twenty-seven.”
Flash blinked twice. “C-come again?”
“Two hundred and twenty-seven. That’s how many of them didn’t make it out with their lives yesterday when the zebras attacked.”
Anchors dropped in Flash Sentry’s chest. The weight of the world came to rest on his shoulders, holding him fixed in place. He opened his mouth to say something, anything, but the words just wouldn’t come.
After a few minutes of silence, Shining murmured, “The princesses are preparing for war as we speak.”
Flash finally regained control of his words. “But… I thought we had a peace treaty with the zebras.”
Shining shot him a hollow smile. “Emphasis on had.”
His ears splayed, his lips curling into a frown. “I still don’t understand. What does any of this have to do with me?”
“Flash, do you know anything of military escort for the deceased?”
“No, sir.”
“As a matter of tradition, every fallen soldier must be escorted back to their hometown by either an honor guard or another service member. Usually it’s a relative or a friend who is given the job, but…”
“…but not this time?” Flash ventured a guess.
Shining nodded solemnly. “His name is Azimuth. Corporal Azimuth.”
“Corporal?” Flash wondered aloud, “I thought that rank was no longer in use.”
“It’s largely ceremonial,” said Shining Armor. “Azimuth was a forty-year-old enlistee. Because of his age, they let him skip past the rank of Private and jump right to Corporal. He lead a squad of four ponies including himself, and they all spoke very highly of him.”
Flash Sentry shifted his weight to the side, uncomfortable with the situation.
“Flash, it’s your job to escort him back home again. He lived in Dodge Junction with his wife and twin sons, which is where you will bring him.”
“Are… are you sure that I’m the right stallion for the job?”
Shining Armor sighed. “I’ll be honest with you, Flash. You’re the only stallion for the job. Azimuth has no family who can escort him, and all of our other qualified personnel are preparing for war. You would be doing the same, but since I can’t even trust you to stand guard for one night, there’s no way I can trust you to have my back in battle. Does that make sense?”
The strangest sense of dread and relief washed over him.“Y-yes, sir. I am sorry.”
Shining socked him playfully in the shoulder. “Hey, don’t get down on yourself, soldier. You’re still a great fighter—that’s why you landed the job. You just need to work on your obedience is all. Plus, for all we know this could be just what you needed to get back on track, right?”
He tensed up, fighting back that familiar urge to snap at Shining Armor. He didn’t need to get back on track. He was perfectly fine where he was, thank you very much.
“Meet me in the commons room tomorrow at precisely zero six hundred, Lieutenant. Bring your bags with you,” said Shining Armor.
Flash nodded, and Shining dismissed him with a flick of his head. Before Flash was out of sight, however, Shining called out, “Oh, and Flash Sentry?”
“Yes?”
“I’m taking a huge chance in giving you a second shot. Please don’t mess it up.”
Flash Sentry smirked. “Sure thing, sir.”
Empty glass clinking against marble countertop. Refill, then repeat. Again. And again. And again…
“Son, it’s barely even seven thirty. What are you doing drinking so much?”
Flash Sentry scowled at the bartender. Glancing down at his empty glass once more, he said, “Hit me.”
“They don’t pay me enough for this,” the bartender grumbled.
The bartender begrudgingly refilled Flash’s glass. He then left to go wipe down some of the tables, leaving Flash to his own devices.
With a beleaguered sigh, Flash tipped the bottom of his glass skyward. Within seconds, the deliciously bitter liquid was gone. The empty glass slammed down onto the countertop once more. Flash closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, trying to push back his pounding headache.
It was all so stupid. Just because he made one little mistake, he had to escort a deceased stallion back home? Yeah, no. That was the very definition of unfair. He wouldn’t get to fight alongside his friends. He was going to be playing babysitter for a casket while everypony else was fighting on the front lines. How was that fair?
Though, if he was being honest, he was slightly relieved…
“Hiya!”
Flash’s eyes shot open. “Gah!”
The mare took a seat on the stool next to Flash, smiling the whole time. It only made Flash’s scowl deepen.
She looked about his age, give or take a year or two. Her coat was a deep, full purple, and her eyes a rich mahogany. Her mane was snowy white—almost to the point where it looked like it had been bleached—with light lavender streaks throughout. Resting right above her ear was a freshly-picked flower, one that matched her coat perfectly.
Flash didn’t know what to think.
Instead, he called for yet another refill.
The mare giggled. “You know, you’re pretty funny.”
“Thanks, I guess?” he mumbled.
She cocked an eyebrow. “What’s got your panties in a bunch?”
“Huh?”
“Dude, you’ve practically drank this place’s owner out of house and home. There has to be some reason you’re so annoyed.”
“So what if there is?”
“You wanna talk about it?”
“Sorry, Princess, but I’m not about to tell some perfect stranger my life story.”
Just then, the bartender trotted over and refilled Flash’s glass. Before he could wander off again, the mare said, “Glass of your cheapest scotch, please.”
The bartender shot her a curious look, but still went ahead and got her the drink. He poured it into a tall, slender glass, sliding it down the counter to her. In one fell swoop, she picked it up and chugged it. Once she finished, she slammed the empty glass down onto the counter with a loud belch, causing her many bracelets to clink against one another.
“Another, please,” she added with a cheeky smile.
The bartender and Flash shared a surprised look; who was this mare?
The bartender beamed at her. “Well color me impressed, missy!” Sliding each of them another glass, he continued, “These are on the house.”
The mare shot him her best winning smile. “Thank you very much!”
He let out a laugh: a warm, full laugh that seemed to fill the empty bar with the joyous cries and shouts of a hundred ponies. “Think nothing of it. It’s not everyday I get customers as… interesting as you two.”
Flash turned to the mysterious mare. “So what’s your name, Princess?”
After taking a delicate sip of her drink, she said, “Saffron. My name is Saffron.”
“So, like, is that a plant or something?”
“A Saffron Crocus is a type of flower, just like the one in my mane,” she explained, gesturing to the top of her head.
Flash stared at the flower for a moment, lost in thought.
Should he tell her what was happening? He had said it himself; she was the perfect stranger. Plus, he desperately needed to vent, and she wanted to talk about it, for heaven’s sake.
“So, you never told me why you’re drinking yourself silly like this. What’s got you down?” she asked.
“I screwed up pretty bad, so Captain Armor’s got me escorting a fallen soldier back home as punishment.”
“So you are a guardspony! I thought you were earlier, but I wasn’t sure,” she said.
“What made you think I was a guardspony?”
She shrugged. “I’unno. You just kinda have that aura about you, even without all the fancy armor and junk.”
He cocked his eyebrow, but didn’t press the issue any further.
“So,” she began, “how badly did you screw up?”
“Pretty badly,” he admitted. “It’s funny, actually. The situation was kinda like this one.”
“How so?”
“Alcohol and mares.”
She chuckled, nodding in understanding. “What exactly happened?”
“I was drinking on duty and I made a few sexist comments to one of my superiors.”
“…So your punishment is to escort a dead dude back home from the battlefield?”
Flash Sentry sighed, taking a swig of his drink. “And that is what pisses me off. There was a surprise attack up north, and I’ve got to escort some stallion back home. I don’t even know the guy!”
“How is that a punishment?” she asked. "It sounds like just another regular duty to me."
“Because all the other guardsponies are getting ready for battle, and I’m not even going to see any action. And it’s all because ‘I can’t be trusted.’”
“Getting ready for battle?” Saffron asked, concern evident in her voice.
“Nothing to worry about,” Flash added hastily. “The griffins just need a little help with a dragon problem.”
A little white lie never hurt anypony, right?
“If you say so,” she said. “But honestly, I think you should go to Captain Armor and tell him how you feel about all of this. It can’t hurt to try.”
“But that’s the problem. He says that he’s already taking a chance by giving me an opportunity to redeem myself. There’s no way he’s going to budge on the issue.”
She chuckled, shaking her head. “That’s so stupid.”
“What do you mean?”
“If you have time to realize that you’re taking a chance, then you’re thinking too much.”
“I… I guess so. But that doesn’t really solve my problem at all,” said Flash.
Saffron took a final sip of her drink, finishing off what little was left in the glass. “Well, is there anypony else you could talk to? I don’t know the Royal Guard’s rank system very well, but I’m pretty sure that there’s somepony higher than Captain who you can talk to.”
“Yeah, but that would just get me and Shining discharged.”
She shrugged. “I dunno what to tell you then. Just roll with the punches and everything should be alright. This is just a little bump in the road.”
“I sure hope so,” he said. “So what’re you drinking for? I’m not the only one ‘drinking myself silly’ on at a stupid time like this.”
She smiled. “Because I saw a stallion drinking all by himself, so I decided to join him.”
Flash rolled his eyes. Glancing up at the clock, he let out a little gasp of surprise. It was almost nine o’clock! “Sorry, Saffron, but I’ve gotta go. I still have to pack.”
“Pack? How long are you going to be gone?”
“A few weeks,” he said. “I’m not sure exactly how long.”
“Gimme a second,” she said, rummaging through her small purse. After a moment, she handed him a business card.
He read it aloud:
“Saffron Crocus:
Attorney at Law
Forty-Two Fieldstone Drive, Canterlot”
She smiled sheepishly. “If you want send a letter or something while you’re away, you can.”
He let out a small laugh. “Will do. And by the way, you do not look like the lawyer type.”
“You know, I get that a lot,” she said.
With a jovial salute, he said, “See you around, Saffron.”
Just as he was about to walk out of the bar, she called out, “Wait! I don’t think I ever got your name.”
He turned around and shot her a warm smile. “Flash. My name is Flash Sentry.”
Flash swung open the door to his apartment and trotted inside. He inhaled deeply, the familiar smell of home allowing him to relax. It felt good to be back.
His apartment wasn’t much. He didn’t need anything more than a small, single-bedroom place anyway. It was home, and that was all that mattered in the end.
He crossed the living room littered with old take-out containers, and entered his bedroom. He pulled out his saddlebags, and began stuffing them with this, that, and everything he thought he would need on his trip. Shirts, shoes, sunglasses—you name it, it was there.
Before long, his bags were stuffed to the brim. He sealed them up, tossing them off to the side of the room for the next day. After shutting off the lights, he launched himself onto his bed, ready to crash for the night. He’d be up early the next day—for the next few weeks, even—so he needed to get a good night’s rest.
He rolled onto his side. As he laid there, his eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. The first thing he saw was a dusty, scratched-up old picture frame sitting on his nightstand. Without thinking, he reached out for it.
It was an old photograph, to be sure. It depicted Flash, just young colt, with a baseball bat in his mouth. His proud father stood beside him, a baseball held in his magical grasp. Though she wasn’t in the picture with them, he knew his mother had been just behind the camera, beaming at her two favorite stallions in the whole wide world.
It had been a while since he’d last visited his mother. Father’s passing had really taken a toll on her, so he owed it to her to pop in and say hi, if nothing else. He made a mental note to do just that when he returned home from his trip.
With a sigh, he placed the picture back on the nightstand. He rolled onto his other side, desperately trying to find a comfortable position to fall asleep in.
He sighed. None of it made any sense. Why was he being punished? It’s not like he did anything horribly wrong. He made a mistake, sure, but it was just that: a mistake. Mistakes were meant to be forgiven, after all.
He had graduated top of his class at the Vanhoover Royal Guard academy. He had been one of their best fliers, if not the best flier. He had been able fight like a machine, taking out simulated enemies left and right in all of their training sequences. He had been picked up immediately out of school by the Royal Guard—one of twenty students chosen every year—jumping straight to the rank of Lieutenant.
By all counts, he was an exemplary guardspony.
He had been at the castle for a week. Yes, he had been a little bit… disruptive, but that was to be expected. He was still learning the ropes of service. And it’s not like his peers had been completely innocent in their time here either.
Really, Lieutenant Starlight was at fault too. Flash was ninety percent sure that she should have been watching over her sector when she caught him drinking. And besides, it’s not like anything ever happened while they were watching over the city anyway. Nopony ever got hurt.
But the ponies in Operation Exploration did.
Flash’s ears splayed. His wings twitched at his sides, unable to stay still. He suddenly felt like he was drowning in a sea of mud, unable to fight his way back to the surface.
What if it had been him? What if he had been the one watching over basecamp when the zebras attacked? Everything would have been his fault. He would have been to blame for all of those ponies’ deaths.
Suddenly, Flash felt very, very alone.
In that moment, he knew that wouldn’t be getting any sleep that night.
Flash’s eyes groggily fluttered open. He grumbled something incomprehensible about not wanting to get up and rolled onto his other side, hiding from the oppressive light of day. In the midst of rolling over, however, he caught a glimpse of the clock on his nightstand.
It was ten of six.
He was going to be late.
He darted from the protection of his covers, hastily throwing on his armor hooves-first. Once it was in place, he haphazardly flung his saddlebags onto his back. He darted for the front door, keys-in-hoof, and began to fumble with the lock.
Just as he was about to unlock the door, he noticed a familiar little slip of paper sitting on the ground in front of him. He bent down to pick it up, immediately recognizing it as Saffron’s business card. He carefully tucked it into his saddlebags before flying out the door.
Flash was flying fast. Like very fast. Faster than he’d ever flown before. He pushed his wings harder, flipping and diving around innocent passers-by. His wings screamed at him to stop, even just for a minute, but he refused to listen.
Before long, he bursted through the palace doors. He darted for the commons room, nearly knocking over one of the servants. Finally, he came to a screeching halt in the commons room, his breathing erratic and heavy.
He glanced at Captain Shining Armor, then up at the clock.
It was one minute till six.
Shining Armor cocked an eyebrow. “Cutting it close there, eh Lieutenant?”
Flash merely nodded, unable to do anything else.
That was when Flash realized that they weren’t alone. There were seven or eight other ponies, all guards, scattered about the room. Many were elderly, and a few were about his age.
Shining Armor cleared his throat, silencing the room. “You have all been chosen to escort one of your fallen comrades back to their hometown. You may or may not have been informed of the circumstances of their deaths, but that’s not what is important. What is important is that you honor them and treat them with respect on their last trip around our great country.”
Several of the older ponies stomped their front hooves on the ground and cheered, eliciting a small smile from Shining.
“You are all going to the same place, so you will all be briefed by Staff Sergeant Cirrus on the way to your ship,” said Shining.
“Ship?” somepony asked.
“Ship,” Shining confirmed. “You all will be travelling across seas.”
There was a small murmur among the crowd. Shining silenced them with a stomp of his hoof. “Your carriage will be here momentarily to take you to the harbor. Am I understood?”
There was a resounding chorus of “Yes, sir!” throughout the ponies present.
After a few minutes of waiting, Captain Shining Armor lead them around back to the carriage. It was barely large enough to fit all of them, but they managed to squeeze in.
The eight ponies sat four to each side of the carriage. A very official looking pony, presumably Staff Sergeant Cirrus, stood between them.
Once everypony was situated in place, the pegasus ponies pulling the carriage took off.
“Alright, ponies!” the Sergeant yelled. “Military escort for the deceased is a fairly simple job. Though simple, however, the rules and regulations are very strict. Is everypony up to the rigors of the job?”
“Yes, sir!” everypony shouted.
“Good,” he said. “Your job is twofold; you must safeguard the remains of the deceased, and you must uphold their and the Royal Guard’s honor. Am I understood?”
“Yes, sir!”
He nodded. “As you are representing the Royal Guard, you will wear your armor at all times. You will keep yourself well groomed, and you will be courteous to everypony you meet. Furthermore, you will never to engage in conversation regarding rumors, speculation, or the circumstances surrounding the deceased’s death. Am I understood?”
“Yes, sir!”
Flash Sentry gulped. Just what had he gotten himself into?
“As an escort, you will be issued transportation requests for all modes of travel you must take. These documents will authorize transportation by common carrier for yourself and the deceased.
“Before departing with the remains, you will confirm the identity of the fallen soldier by verifying that the card attached to the head of the casket matches the deceased’s. Inside the head envelope will be the burial permit that must be given to the director of the funeral.
“Furthermore, the Equestrian Flag will be draped over the casket for the entirety of the escort mission. If for some reason you must remove the flag, you will carry it yourself by hoof. Am I understood?” he asked.
“Yes, sir!” was the resounding cry.
Flash’s ears flattened against his head. This… this might be more than he could handle.
“Before the deceased is loaded onto the vehicle, you will render solute. The deceased will always travel hooves-first, no matter the mode of transportation. You will also render solute before unloading the deceased.
“Furthermore, it is not mandatory that you meet the family of the deceased, but should you choose to, it is advised that you only relay verified information given to you via the Royal Guard. You are also obligated to deny any gifts or gratuities offered to you by the family.
“Finally, if the deceased has any sentimental personal artifacts, you will file form C-54 and keep the artifacts on you at all times. You will pass them onto either the funeral director or the family upon arrival. Am I understood?”
“Yes, sir!”
The Sergeant smiled and nodded. “Excellent. I wish you all safe travels, then.”
After another minute, the carriage landed. It came to a screeching stop just outside a harbor, causing the ponies inside to grumble. Staff Sergeant Cirrus hopped out of the carriage, followed by all of the escorts. He lead them onto the pier and over to the smallest of the ships and, once everypony was onboard, the crew began to untie the ship from the pier.
Flash Sentry hesitantly took a seat on the side of the boat. A few of the other ponies followed suit, preparing for the long ride ahead of them. Flash paid those ponies no heed.
He slowly pulled his saddlebags off of his back, placing them onto the ground in front of him. He gingerly pulled out the little slip of paper he had placed in his bags earlier that morning.
He didn't know what he had stopped to grab it. But then again, he didn't know a lot of things.
Saffron was a peculiar pony. To be honest, he had no idea what to think of her. It wasn't so much what to think that was the problem, though—it was more of why he was thinking about her in the first place that was the problem.
She didn’t even know him, but she had still heard him out back at the bar. That was something he respected a lot: empathy. That was a trait that he wanted in a friend. That was a trait that he wanted in himself, for heaven’s sake!
…Was she his friend? She had given him her business card, after all. That had to account for something, even if it was a little strange.
With a sigh, he slipped the business card back into his overstuffed saddlebags. Whatever her deal was, it didn't matter right now. He was extremely overtired, and it was doing him no good to stress out about it. He had enough to stress about already, thank you very much.
Heck, in not even twelve hours, he would be escorting the late Corporal Azimuth back home.
His eyes shot open and his ears splayed. For a second, he couldn’t even breathe.
In not even twelve hours, he would be escorting the late Corporal Azimuth back home.
What was he going to do? What if Azimuth’s comrades were there? What if they wanted to meet him? What if Azimuth’s family wanted to meet him? What would he say to them? Was there anything he could say to them?
The last of the crew climbed aboard the small ship. The engines started revving, causing a few of the passengers to jump. The Captain of the boat climbed into the bridge, blew the foghorn, and started to pull out of the harbor. They were northward bound, headed for the Zebrican Isles.
Flash Sentry gulped; this was it. It was the moment of truth.
In not even twelve hours, he would meet Azimuth for the first and last time.
And he was scared.
