Strider

Two weeks until Thasus, Atlas, and Orion are to leave for there new assignments. With no word from Captain Armor yet about my transfer I was trying to keep busy. Not that it was difficult, my Lieutenant and Sergeants have been giving me an abundance of assignments around Canterlot as well as every courier duty that comes through the Precinct. Today was pretty quiet though, no courier jobs today, so that was good. My brothers were out taking care of a Pegasus causing trouble.

"Private Strider!" The Staff Sergeant called from his office. I shot up from the bench I was sitting on and ran to his office. "Private, there seems to be a disturbance in a civilian tavern close to the Train Station. I want you to go down there and keep it from turning into a fight."

"Only me, Sergeant?" I asked.

"Yeah only you. That Tavern is controlled by a particularly influential family of criminals. I don't want them getting riled up. They won't harm the city guard though, because they don't want us looking closer at there off the book activities."

"Sergeant?"

"They have somewhat of a rep for trafficking in stolen goods and rare creatures. We can't touch them though because we don't have any reasonable evidence. If they attack a guard though we'll have a reason to investigate them. So they won't hurt you. I'm sure they'll calm down as soon as you walk in. Now get going!"

I wasted no more time and hurried out of the Precinct.

☼

I decided to approach the tavern on hoof. The Sergeant wasn't kidding when he said things were getting out of hand. The noise from the arguments inside could be heard from the streets. On the door to the tavern door there was a sign that said "Closed for Private Function". I walked up to the door and waited a minute.

I knocked loud and hard, the noise inside quieted down as there were a shuffles of hooves and the sound of some glass breaking. A small but bulky Earth pony mare opened the door, "Yes, can I help you?"

"You can help me by keeping quiet." I said in a stern voice, "Your arguments are causing passerby's concern. I don't want to come back here with the Sergeant and Squad."

"Understood Sir, we'll keep it down." She said rolling her eyes. She all but slammed the door in my face.

A part of me wanted to sneak in and find out what was going on in there, but that isn't what I was here for. I got them to be quiet and that is what I did. I turned to go back to the Precinct. I walked the whole way delaying the inevitable assignment waiting for me. Everypony around me looked as if they were running late, the Summer Sun wasn't for another three weeks, and the celebration was being held in Ponyville this year. In spite of being born here i'll never understand Canterlot ponies.

After a long walk up through Canterlot I finally got to the Precinct. Walking in I immediately knew something was off, my brothers were back and had a look on there face like they wanted to cheer something but were having a hard time keeping silent. The other hint was that there was a guard from Celestia's House Guard outside the Sergeant's Door. I started to walk over to my brothers.

"What's going on?" I asked.

In response all I got were hoof waves, snickers, and an occasional "No" or "Nope" through the laughs. So I waited there next to them for whatever was happening. The Precinct was surprisingly quiet, other than my brothers unbecoming noises. Time seemed to pass slowly. Whoever was in there talking with the Sergeant was certainly taking there sweet time.

When the door opened the entire Precinct stood at attention. Captain Armor, my Lieutenant, a Lieutenant I didn't recognize, and my Sergeant stepped out. The Sergeant seemed to survey the room until his eyes fell on me.

"Private Strider, report on the civil disturbance?"

"All's quiet down near the train station, Sergeant." I answered.

"Very good." He then turned to the Captain and the unfamiliar Lieutenant, "He's all your's Lieutenant."

"Thank you. Private, would you follow the Captain and I." The Lieutenant ordered.

"Yes Sir." Without another word I fell in line behind them as we left the Precinct.

"I'll bet your wondering why you're leaving the City Guard now rather than later?" Captain Armor asked me.

He asked that like I was supposed to know, "Yes sir."

"Lieutenant Arrow, care to explain?"

"Yes Captain. Private I understand you asked to join the Palace Guard. Correct?" Arrow asked me.

"Yes Sir."

"Captain Armor and I have reviewed you Service Record, Medical Record, Psyche Record, every report you've filed and we even asked around the City Guard about you. Do you want to know the conclusion we came to?"

"Yes Sir." I was a little afraid to find out.

"We determined that you would be best suited in Celestia's Personal Guard."

WHAT!?!?! "Come again Sir?"

"I take it your brother's didn't talk to you about this like they were supposed to?" Captain armor asked me holding back a laugh.

"No Sir, they did not." They are gonna get it once I get back though.

"Well today we just finished the paperwork for your transfer request. Lieutenant Arrow is gonna show you to you're new quarters, were gonna allow you the day to get settled and moved. Then you start tomorrow with your partner."

"Partner Sir?" The City Guard didn't really use partners. It was so peaceful in the city, one guard could be used to investigate any disturbances.

"Yes, you'll be sharing your room with another newcomer like yourself. Although she's been here for two months longer, so she'll be showing you the ropes." Captain Armor said as we got to the Guard Entrance to the palace, "This is where I take my leave. I have much preparation to do before the celebration."

The Lieutenant and I saluted as the Captain walked off, "Follow me to your new quarters." The Lieutenant waved for me to follow.

"Sir, Permission to speak freely?" I asked as we went through the Guard entrance to the palace and into the rather clean barracks.

"Granted."

"My brothers leave a few days before The Summer Sun Celebration. Will I be granted enough time to see them off, Sir?" I asked we were making our way through the barracks and past about a dozen rooms.

"Captain Armor has informed me of your family matters. You will have that day off, but I expect you at your post on time the next day. Am I clear?" He asked as we stopped at the end of the hall in front of the door.

"Understood sir."

"Good. This is your room..." Room 14, "Your partner should already be inside, as well as your new set of armor. Get acquainted with your partner, she was instructed to help you with moving in."

"Understood Sir."

"One last thing before I leave. Private, it might be a good idea to loosen up a little." He turned and left not allowing me to saluted him as he left.

"Loosen up"? What did that mean? I shrugged it off and turned my attention to the door in front of me. I took a deep breath and knocked three times, no answer. I knocked again, no answer.

I opened the door slowly and peered inside the room. It wasn't cramped like the room I had shared with my brothers. It had beds, a bathroom for the two of us, a table & chairs, shelves above each bed, footlockers and wall lockers. I looked around and soon found my new partner on her bed. Unicorn, she was white, more so than I, she had a pale Icy blue colored mane & tail, and equally blue colored eyes. Her cutie mark was of an energized snowflake. She was deep within a book, that explained why she didn't answer the door, Thasus did the same on occasion.

"Excuse me?"

"Hold on." She said as she put a hoof up to silence me as she speed up her reading. One she finished she closed the book and looked at me, "Oh..." She said eyeing me, "If I wasn't spoken for, i'd say you were a prime example of stallion."

My eyes went wide and avoided eye contact, "Oh, well thanks I guess. Um, Lieutenant Arrow said i'd be staying here."

She gasped with excitement and jumped over to where I was standing, "YOUR Flame Strider?! I thought they were gonna stick me with some Earth Pony. I don't have anything against earth ponies, there just a little boring. My name is Snow by the way."

"Right, a pleasure to meet you." I moved around her and over to my wall locker and opened it. There was and armor stand, clothing rack, top shelf, and a mirror. A cardboard box sat at the bottom of the locker, "What's this?" I asked her.

"Oh that's your new armor. I was supposed to tell you what to do with your old set." She taped her chin with a hoof, "Oh, right. You are supposed to put the new set on to get familiar with the weight. Then put the old set into the box, seal it, then take it to the mail room. That way it can be taken to requisitions."

"Alright then." I took the armor out of the box and laid it out onto my bed. I then turned my attention to the armor I was currently wearing slowly but surely getting piece by piece off and into the box.

Snow giggled at my slow progress, "Here let me help you." She lit up her horn and in a manner of seconds all of my armor was off and in the box. "Oh my." Snow said eyeing me again, and staring.

I felt my face heat up, I cleared my throat and shifted my wings uncomfortably, "Um Snow, if you wouldn't mind?" I said angling my head toward the new set of armor.

"I know. I don't get to see stallions without there armor on much." She eyed me up a few seconds longer before picking up the new armor set and putting it on me, "Happy?"

"Much." I took note of my armor. It covered more than my old armor, the hoof-guards went halfway up my legs, and the armor covered my entire torso. The helmet also had plates that went down the backside of my neck. While I was busy looking at myself in the mirror I didn't notice Snow behind me, "Snow, would... whoa?"

Snow had put her armor on, but instead of the heavy plates that I had, she had on light chainmail, mixed with leather and fabrics.

"Where did you get that armor? I've never seen it before." I was genuinely curious because it looked kinda like a battle dress that are in the old books.

"It was special made for me because of my skill set."

"What skills are those?"

"I'm a Cryomancer. It means I can make whatever I want out of ice, when I want. For example..." Snow manefested a small snowstorm in the room in an instant, without the clouds. Just as quickly she made it vanish leaving no more than cold air in it's place.

"That's impressive." I said sincerely.

"Yeah, i'm aware. Now lets not waste anymore time. Lets go get your things so I can give you a brief tour of the castle." Snow said dragging me along with her magic.