Author's Note

HELLLO~ I'm am terribly sorry for such the long break I feel completely terrible at how I suddenly disappeared on you guys. Forgive me. I also had to go back and reread the story which is why it might be taking a slight turn off the original story I had planned but I believe that this way is better for the characters to grow. I also wanted it to be more about the guards and what they do in order to keep everyone safe. Plus, I wanted to give Strawberry a more self-torn path due to him being a bat pony while everyone else is a normal pony.

Chapter Six

Aster's Point Of View

The young mare's hooves tapped hurriedly across the castle floor. She had a lot of questions going through her mind. Her brother and the Canterlot pony went back to the train station to try and find some clues; meanwhile, here she was prancing around in front of the guard barracks. Aster knew that Strawberry would be too tired to answer anything fully. She would have to fill him in on the whole situation but she didn't know how he'd react. She's never really been around a bat pony before. Her mind was racing. Thoughts and ideas of what'd happen if they didn't get a hold of that medicine made her wince at the possibilities. The beating of her heart picked up at the images. She was beginning to panic which was bad as this was not the time to do so.

Swallowing her overwhelming emotions down with pure will power, the young mare pushed the door to the barracks open to find the room empty besides a darkened corner in the far back. Her brother never really did like being in front of anything. That's why him getting up in the ranks due to his natural leadership abilities made him consistently stressed. Aster walked quietly down the third aisle on the left hoof side of the barracks to reach her target. She was told to join the guards at the station but something inside of her said to disobey, that the one pony who knew pieces of this puzzle was just inside the barracks waiting to be asked. The problem was that he had no idea what was going on so made her feel very uneasy. How can you tell a pony that they put somepony's life at risk without them even knowing they had? Private Strawberry believes that he's done his mission and that soon he'll be back home.

Once Aster stood at the foot of the bed the mare gathered up her strength in order to force the words out of her mouth in a calm, or semi-calm, manner as to not freak out the Night Guard pony; however, when she opened up her eyes with a militarized face she could feel all her hard work shatter inside her. The bed was empty. Private Strawberry must just got up to use the head that's it! the supportive thought was just as crushed as her fleeting hope when she makes her way over to the entryway and finds the bathroom to be empty as well. A worried look took form upon her face. The private wasn't here either,

"Private?" her voice echoed off silent walls.

He wasn't in the showers but then again it's still daylight out so it was only a mere last option kind of effort in her search. She quickly turned around to make her way out of the bathroom back into the barracks,

"Private!" she called out.

Upon the barracks silent reply, the mare quickly made her way out of the room. She needed to tell the Lt. that the bat-pony was gone, but if she did he would be a suspect. Something told her that he wasn't at fault but this had to be reported or else she could risk it escalating into something bigger. She hung her head with a sigh Putting her heart aside, Aster began her march towards Princess Cadance's room. Along the way, Aster couldn't help but wonder where the bat-pony could have gone. It's not like he could've got up and walked out without someone else spotting him. Her hooves stopped mid-stride as her emerald eyes widened. Somepony would have to of seen the Private in the halls.

Turning away from the direction her brain was telling her to go Aster allowed for her hooves to carry her around the hallways stopping other guards or palace workers if they've seen a black bat pony with sunset yellow eyes wondering around. Hallway to hallway, floor to floor the mare flew around to see if she can find her new missing suspect in the case of the stolen medicine. She needs to find him before her brother could catch wind that she let the only other witness slip through their hooves, she's had her brother chew her out for that right after her squad leader had after failing her first assignment. Aster did not want another repeat of said event. A feeling deep in her gut told her that this news would lead to a very different kind of hide tearing.

Her hooves carried her through almost every crystalline hallway she could think of but not one of them produced any kind of evidence to make up for were the bat pony could have gone. Aster's mind was almost about to give up when the familiar glimmer of crystal caught her eye. Her hooves scrapped across the carpet at her sudden halt in movement. Looking out the window along the tenth floor of the castle Aster couldn't stop her throat from swallowing. Her brother had returned, and she was going to have to explain an empty barracks.

. . . . . .

Strawberry's Point of View

No, I couldn't have heard right! The medicine couldn't have just disappeared from my bag! Strawberry raced down the castle's main hall. If it wasn't for his echolocation that his species developed than he would have never heard Lt. and Private Wolfthorn's conversation after Captain Armor's voice roared into his slumber. Hooves against crystal eventual lead the private to skid around his third corner to what he hoped was the way to the Princess's chambers. There had to be a mistake is what he kept telling himself despite the fact that Celestia's sun itself was blinding him most of the way there. Strawberry turned what must have been his fourth right turn when a voice cut through the sounds of his hooves. One that he had heard earlier this morning.

He came to a sudden halt the moment his ears picked up the shouts from a stallion who seemed furious. Thankfully he didn't go past the corners leading into one of the entrance ways. With somewhat of a struggle Strawberry was able to flap his wings strong enough to lift him off the floor. He slowly hovered over to the wall, he tried to keep his wings as silent as possible when he used them to remain off the carpet, with his hooves placed onto it's a smooth surface. He didn't dare give a peek for the fear of being caught spying upon military affairs. Perking his ears up Strawberry pressed himself firmly against the wall,

"How the hell did you manage to lose a sleeping pony!" the stallion yelled with a taste of annoyance dipped into his tone.

"I-I just went in to check up on him and he was already gone by the time I entered the room!" the mare replied which really surprised Strawberry with how she could get away without calling him Sir or even talking to him with such a voice.

"Private Strawberry was the only lead to finding out who the stranger at the train station was!" his voice grew in the emotions that seeped into his words, "I don't care what it takes, our Princess is going to get worse if we don't find that medicine vial. So. Find him," the stallion finished off before heavy hove steps began Strawberry's way.

The bat pony quickly panicked while the stallion's hooves came closer. Strawberry takes off down the hall using his wings to cover the most ground knowing that the stallion could easily turn the corner at any given moment. Once he made it to the end of the hall Strawberry quickly made a choice to go straight for the window that leads outside. Bracing himself for the impact the young stallion was hoping that this wouldn't make a lot of noise but he wasn't a unicorn like his mother was so magic is out of the question in the hopes of being quiet so not to get caught. A loud shattering noise erupted from the window the moment Strawberry's hooves went through it; however it was at this point in time he asked himself why he just didn't turn down another hall but a small voice simply replied with the fact that with the medicine's disappearance that he would've been the one to blame since he was also the one in charge of carrying it to the castle so, in the bat pony's mind, this was really the best option to use at the given time.