Rank & Full Name: Private Swift Wildshadow
Letter’s Date: x7/2x/x0x3
Address: North Polar Drive, Bldg. 013, District 004, Canterlot, Equestria
Contents: Letter

“Dear Mom and Dad,

Thank you for writing back. I know it has been a few months since you received my letter. Believe me, when you sent your letter during the fourth month, I got it towards the beginning of the sixth month. The mail system may need help. Anyways, it has been so busy here in Canterlot, and I have so much to share with the two of you.

Firstly, thank you for sending the hair dye as well. I am very appreciative that you were able to get it for me. I’ve forwarded some bits I have collected through my service, and they should be placed into your accounts. Considering all the trouble you went through to mail it, it should be enough. Again, thank you so much.

Next, where do I begin concerning these past few months? The rest of the training camp had gone by so quickly. However, seeing as the last thing I remember from it was the final tests that I aced and barely getting through the ‘Final Major Test,’ it all paid off. I am officially a part of the Canterlot Royal Guard. The High Command saw me as having a ‘potential to improve,’ so I am stationed in the Canterlot Castle.

At first, I was excited to be given a chance to work in the castle, seeing as the two sovereign rulers of Equestria currently live here. You know, the Alicorn Princesses. I forgot that they were sisters, too! It seems like I am learning something new every day, huh?

I did get to meet both of them at one point, although indirectly. What was more, I stood at attention while they passed through. However, there appears to be a gentle and positive aura surrounding the Princess of the Sun, Princess Celestia. I always see her with this small smile, coming off as a caring pony. Maybe it’s other ponies’ perspectives that Celestia is a goddess; therefore, we all adore her. But, in my humble opinion, she may want to be…normal, like one of us.

As for the younger one, I have only seen her twice. And both times were in the morning when she clocks out to go to bed. Princess Luna, the alicorn that controls the movement of the moon, that’s the one I am referring to. The aura emanating from her during both occurrences has been tiredness and irritability. I haven’t said anything about her, always saluting when in her presence.

However, some of the Royal Guard around me have been chatting up quite a storm. It's mostly pony gossip, which I ignore, but other times, I hear conversations revolving around the lunar princess along the lines of ‘plans.’ It makes me wonder what is planned for Princess Luna. Maybe a birthday party? I’m not entirely sure.

To continue, I should mention how the average day goes for me. It starts early in the morning, around 0415. I wake up on the dot and start my morning routine: eating breakfast, practicing good personal hygiene, and then getting into uniform. I’ve found that the helmet I have to wear sometimes sticks to my mane. I usually need to pull it off and scrape out the few pieces of hair attached to it. Maybe a by-product of my hair dye, but that shouldn’t be considered a factor. Correct me if I am wrong, Ma.

Afterward, I clock in using my time card and report to my position every morning at a little after 0500. From there, either it’s always standing at attention and saluting when high-ranking officials enter and depart, or controlling the crowds of creatures walking through the throne room doors.

I am always standing on the left with another guard on the right side of the door. Most of the time, it will be a unicorn with me, all of whom are veterans of the castle. Other times, a pegasus will stand alongside me. They are slightly older by a year or two. They have a grasp of how things go and what to do in emergencies, but they do come off as immature and arrogant.

There hasn’t been a whole lot of action here in the castle. Other than the few instances of some ponies who have complaints that see them dragged out of the throne room or the occasional dumb assassin, Princess Celestia has been able to keep her castle free from trouble.

I recall one instance in the past month where somepony got past the doors, concealing a knife. Only after I looked back at the pony did I notice it, and he was already bull-charging the alicorn on the throne. I looked at Princess Celestia as I galloped in pursuit, and this face of boredom bore its way into my mind. Like she was getting tired of this.

One quick magical grasp and slam against the right wall later, and the pony was in the custody of the Royal Guard and sent to the dungeons below the castle. After I had bowed to the Solar Princess and turned to return to my position, I believe I heard her yawn. It was the slightest of sounds, and my ears perked at it as I turned my head to look at the solar alicorn. She gave me a warm smile, and Day Court resumed as usual. No offense, but I feel she is growing tired of this stupidity. In my opinion, if you plan an assassination, at least do it right and inflict some damage and fear in everypony's mind.

Anyways, towards the middle of the day, around noon, I get an hour to relax and eat. Lunch is served in the mess hall outside of the castle walls. Most guards trot over to congregate and talk while they eat. My old roommates and I from the old apartment had all moved out to go to our newly assigned buildings, so I usually eat by myself with no other pony to talk to. I don’t keep in touch with them because we were given different roles. Come to think of it, I don’t know what became of Jake, Lyle, OR Pete. We all went our separate ways.

And yes, I live closer to the castle now. Thank the maker, because if I had had to do the long hike up to the castle every morning from District 018 instead of District 004, who knows how long it would have been before I showed up late one day. And that would not look good for me at all.

As for the evening, I usually am done after 2000. Don’t worry. We are given two short breaks in the afternoon and another hour for dinner. The rest of the shift gets boring as we wait for the sun to go down. Once we get the okie-dokie from High Command to be replaced by the Night Guard, we all clock out and head off for the night.

The Night Guards who come in look much different from the rest of us. They have darker uniforms, pointy ears, and bat-like wings. I think they are called ‘Thestrals’ or something along those lines. They rarely speak to us and sometimes growl at us, always appearing as menacing figures. But what’s intriguing is that there are fewer of them compared to us.

Much, MUCH LESS.

And that’s pretty much it. Not a whole lot of unusual occurrences have happened since the last letter. That being said, I do have to ask, Dad, if you can give any insight on how I can improve myself to be a better guard pony, I’ll take some now. Are there any secret tips that I should consider? Any tidbits about time management? And as for Ma, what can I do to relieve daily stress? It feels as though reading or sitting in the barracks with the other guards doesn’t seem to cut it. Maybe yoga could help?

Thank you again for being there for me and raising me the way you did. I will continue to grow and be successful no matter how long I may be doing this. Who knows, there may be a promotion down the line that can see me being in the Royal Army and fighting battles on the front lines. Or I could be given a secret mission, haha.

Take care of yourselves. And do write back when possible.

Your son,

Swift Wildshadow, R.G.”

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Excellent, good for him, I thought as I folded the paper. The stallion was doing well and was improving daily. Nothing out of the ordinary with that letter.

I returned the letter to the envelope and discarded it into the cardboard box. Then, reaching for the third envelope, I saw that the creature who transcribed the letters wrote the word THREE on top of it, but this one was different. It appeared to be…disjointed. It was as if the individual was shaking while writing the word out.

I then noticed another small message on the back after opening it. I rolled my eyes, figuring that from now on, every envelope most likely had a message on them as well. I took the magnifying glass back into my grip.

“What does it say this time?” I sarcastically said under my breath to no one in particular.

“- -arn-d yo-. -e ca--ful -h-t y-u w--h fo-. B--au-e -t -an ea-i-y co-e --ck -o bi-e you.”

Again, I sat back in the chair and thought about the message. ‘Can easily come back to bite you?’ I thought to myself. What the hell do you mean by that?

gulp Taking a couple of deep breaths and thinking about all my life choices thus far, I finally pulled the letter out, unfolded the piece of paper, and continued onward. And what came next was the most horrifying and unbelievable account I’ve ever read of ‘the mission.’

Author's Note

A day in the life, amiright?

As always, feedback is appreciated in the comments below. See you in the next one!

-Harpy