Author's Note

Most of this chapter will be done in a back and forth dialogue format.

Epilogue: Speculations

It was afternoon when the guard would finally meet with Shining Armor and Cadence in the throne room. Once he arrived Shining wanted to get down to business. He asked, "Guard, I know you were talking about how you heard them discussing going out to supper. Was there anything else you noticed?"

The guard replied, "Well I do remember hearing Flash asking Sunburst about why his eyes were so red. I also remember Sunburst telling him that he didn't want to talk to him about it around the other guard. That is when he offered to take him out to supper."

Shining said, "Well that still doesn't explain why they would go out to supper or why those two would wind up dead in Sunburst's house."

Cadence had an idea pop into her mind, "You know, I know Sunburst was devastated over what Starlight did and I have always noticed that Flash is a bit down on days when Twilight comes to visit, you don't think they went to supper to talk about their feelings do you?"

The guard replied, "They could have because it seems like Flash always has to talk to one of us about Twilight coming and not even attempting to find him to talk."

Shining added, "Well that would make sense. Perhaps they felt like they would understand one another." Another thought crossed Shining's mind. He asked, "Alright, you said that you thought you heard Flash talking about something involving a relationship or getting kicked out of the guard, right?"

The guard replied, "Yes, that is correct."

While Shining Armor was beginning to wonder, Cadence had a feeling as to what happened. She asked, "You don't think that since Sunburst got shot down and the mare Flash has a crush on won't give him the time of day that maybe they decided to give one another a shot do you?"

Shining broke down laughing, "Come on honey, Flash Sentry was a member of the royal guard and I don't see a guard pony giving a stallion a chance!"

The guard commented, "I wouldn't think he would but he didn't have quite the same macho mindset the rest of us do so if any of us would, it would be him."

Shining asked, "But what about Sunburst? I know he liked Starlight so why would he give a stallion a chance?"

Cadence replied, "I know it sounds crazy but both have been shot down by mares they really liked so maybe they thought that they could find comfort in each other and decided to give each other a chance."

The guard added, "Well that would explain him talking about a relationship and getting kicked out of the guard."

Shining replied, "Yeah I could see that being the case but I wouldn't kick a guard out for being gay but maybe he didn't know that."

All three of them sat there is silence trying to figure out what may have happened until the night departure of Flash came to the guard's mind. He suggested, "What if they did become coltfriends during that supper but then Flash had second thoughts? What if when he left in the middle of the night he went to dump Sunburst and then things went downhill from there?"

Cadence added, "That would make sense. Perhaps having his heart crushed twice in one day was too much for Sunburst to take and he just snapped and lost all rational thought."

Shining replied, "You know, that makes a whole lot of sense and given that he was a unicorn, stabbing Flash and gutting him wouldn't be that hard...." He began to gag, "But what in Equestria would possess him to go as far to cut Flash open and eat his heart?"

The guard laughed, "Well maybe he decided that if Flash wouldn't willingly give him his heart that he'd simply take it whether Flash wanted him to or not."

Both Shining and Cadence glared at the guard over his laughter. He continued, "I'm sorry about the laugh but it was just a suggestion."

Cadence sighed, "Well we have an idea of what happened to cause Flash to wind up getting gutted like that but what about Sunburst and the knife in his chest? I have a feeling that Flash was probably dead when he was stabbed."

Shining Armor replied, "Well I'm assuming that he likely decided to kill himself. I could see him being the type that would find death preferable to imprisonment."

Cadence said, "Well I could see that being the case." She cast her gaze at Shining and continued, "So are we going to do any kind of investigation or are we just going to deem this a murder/suicide?"

Shining replied, "Well given everything we saw, I don't think any kind of investigation would provide anything we don't already know. I'm saying we just go with what we think it is and end it at that."

Cadence said, "Well I guess we better get funerals arranged for those two."

Shining agreed, "Yeah, we should. Well let's go take care of that and once the funerals have come and gone, hopefully we can get past this."

Three days later funerals were held for Flash and Sunburst and a majority of the Empire showed up. While it was a somber event for everypony, Shining Armor knew of one pony who would probably be thrilled. He thought to himself, "Good thing Trixie's not here, she'd probably be celebrating."

The End