What Hath Joined Together

Chapter 4

                                                                               Friends In Low Places

Flash Sentry sought to return to the sanctity of his room as soon as possible. He didn't want to take any more chances. Nodding in acknowledgment as he passed by several Royal Guards, he let his mind wander.

It's not like I can tell Ironhoof that I want to be assigned to something other than guarding Royal Court, especially when Princess Celestia herself insists upon it. Then again, I have been stationed at Royal Court quite frequently. Perhaps there's some way I can get Ironhoof to reconsider?

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Flash turned down another hallway and made a beeline towards his room. While he stared straight ahead at nothing in particular, another voice within his mind shot back, If you really didn't want to be posted there, you would do something egregious to get yourself reassigned, now, wouldn't you? But you won't, the voice accused, because a part of you is still foalish enough to bel—

"Flash! There you are!"

Snapping back into reality, Flash shook his head. His hooves came to a sudden halt. "Huh? Wha—"

Steel Wind and Sharp Spear approached him with eager grins on their muzzles. Both were clad in their golden armor, helmet and all, indistinguishable from each other.

Flash clicked his tongue and said with a bit of a huff, "Steel! What the hay was that for?"

"Was what for?" Steel asked, trotting up to him.

"You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Heart attack?" Sharp Spear whooped and smacked his belly. "You hear that, Steel Wind? You almost gave our friend a scare here with your whiny little whinny of a voice!"

With a glare, Steel Wind threw up his forehooves and snapped back, "At least I could guard a damn tea partywithout screwing up!"

"Um..." Shifting on his hooves, Flash asked, "What about a tea party?"

Steel Wind turned back to Flash. "You remember that tea party in Ponyville with Princess Cadence? The one that took place the day before yesterday?" At Flash's nod, he continued, "Oh, well, you see, this genius over here managed to even buck that up, just like I said he would!"

Sharp Spear groaned and face-hoofed. "It wasn't that big of a deal!"

"You were outsmarted by a bunny rabbit!" Steel countered.

"Hey!" Spear pointed a forehoof at his companion. "That was no ordinary bunny rabbit! That was a beast from the depths of Tartarus itself!"

His patience growing thin, Flash stomped his forehooves on the floor, jerking them both to attention. "Ugh! Can you two go bicker somewhere else?"

Covering his muzzle as he coughed, Sharp Spear looked away and muttered, "Sorry, Flash."

"Sorry," Steel Wind added, lowering his gaze and his wings.

Seeing the hurt in Steel's eyes, Flash sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, you two. I'm just a bit... stressed, that's all."

"Stressed?" Steel raised an eyebrow. "About what?"

"Yeah! We heard that you got the day off! Lucky bastard..." Spear shook his head and muttered that last bit under his breath, although Flash heard him anyway.

Ignoring this, Flash started towards his room again. "Yeah, I did." While the two stallions followed him, he added with an insistent tone, "And I was thinking about spending it alone."