Canterlot > Canterlot
Float Like a Parasprite, Sting Like a Manticore
Blossom Gale:
The steady march of two sets of hooves echoed down the hallway. Plates of armour rubbed against each other during the synchronized march that was taking place in the high-ceiling hallways, creating an effect that sounded as though there were many coming down the hallway, yet there were only two. This was a hallway that these two had traveled down before, on so many occasions that they may have lost count, and being Royal Guards, they knew every single path through this castle like it was their own home as much as that of the Royal Family. Just down the hallway were the large double doors that led to Princess Celestia's chambers, a door that they had both guarded with their lives since they both had graduated from basic training, staying as a team, and as a force to be reckoned with on any field of battle.
There was something a little different this time around though. Normally, they would be coming down this hallway at a much later time on this day, and this change most certainly reflected on the mare carrying the flagged guisarme. She looked forward with a grave and serious expression on her face. There was no joking to be had, as per usual, but if it were possible to become even more stoic and serious, she would be wearing a look that could make statues tremble in fear. This was not the same guard shift that Blossom nor Bastion were being called to on their day-to-day basis. No, Princess Celestia - the princess herself - had asked for the two of them specifically. This must have been for a task so important that it had to be entrusted to her finest, and such a task must have been of the utmost importance.
They approached the current guards who blocked the doors, standing at attention as Blossom announced their names and purpose for their arrival, even before the guards asked. As per norm with Blossom, of course. "Blossom Gale and Bastion, Knights of Aurora Noctem, reporting as per the Princess' request." The leftmost guard nodded before leaving to announce that the two of them had arrived, and in that time Blossom turned to look at Bastion, offering him a quizzical look before she asked, "What do you think this is going to be, Bastille?"
Bastion:
In contrast to Blossom's lack of expression, Bastion wore an excited grin on his face as he marched beside her, body shaking a bit in giddy excitement. He was looking forward to seeing to whatever the princess had in mind for them, especially since they hadn't often been called forth like this very often. Whatever it was, though, he was just glad that he was finally going to be doing something other than guarding a door--whatever that 'something' was. Just grinning childishly to himself, Bastion remained silent as Blossom greeted the guards on duty, nodding slightly to their colleagues before looking over to Blossom when she spoke up and asked him what he thought what this was about. "I dunno, Salmon. Maybe it's a dangerous criminal that we've gotta track down and take back into custody? Or... some dragons that are making problems? Or there's somepony important we've gotta escort? I dunno, but I'm excited. Hopefully after this we'll start getting more posts other than 'door guarding'."
Thunderclap:
"We could absolutely take it on!" The voice of a pegasus coming down the hall enthusiastically ensured, said pony hovering over another as they went and both wearing their own sets of armor, one gold and the other silver, and nearly energetically tumbling about in the air. "And think of the adventure! The story! The praise from the science and magic studying communities!"
"And they'd reward us hopefully with some kind of scientifically or magical stain remover I'd hope," the unicorn of the two replied sarcastically, clearly not very supportive of the idea his partner was sharing as his boots clicked against the floor at a steady pace, "I'd hate to go into a dry cleaners or some such and ask somepony if they could please 'get this ugly spot of 'adventure' out of my cuirass' for me. I doubt that there's much new that can be learned from slaying a gelatinous mound of magic, anyway. Besides, don't they have a number of those things in a cage somewhere for study already? If I recall, they're the land equivalent of a deep sea bottom feeder, so they survive on whatever junk is on the ground around them, so they're not hard to take care of. What's with you and jelly monsters lately?"
"It doesn't need to be a jelly monster," the pegasus clarified, stomach grumbling a little and serving as a possible clue for why his protection of Equestria was continuing to be very dessert based, "a giant frowny ice cream scoop would also do fine. Oh, the dangers I face to protect the average pony..." Coming up on their destination, it being the chambers of their boss, the pegasus landed and trotted a bit closer before noticing another pair of guards seeming to be waiting to enter themselves. "Now look," he said back at the unicorn guard with a gesture over towards the others present, "a line! I told you we should have skipped that sterilizing thing-"
"Stabalizing." A correction slipped in by the unicorn.
"-for that whatchamacallit... On the verge of exploding... Pfft... On the verge of making us late maybe..."
"You're the ones who insisted we stop for hot cocoa on the way back."
"The body of a royal guard is like a well oiled machine, Mana," the winged stallion said in a tone that made it sound like he was talking to a young foal new to the world, "and every machine needs fuel. I needed my cocoa fix. Canterlot needed my cocoa fix. No. Equestria needed my cocoa fix." Returning from inside the Princess' chambers to pass a message onto the original pair of waiting guards, the stallion who'd left caught sight of the new arrivals, him rolling his eyes at the following wave of a hoof and simple "Hey, Dirk!" From the pegasus as he turned right back around to announce them to his princess as well.
Having no other choice but to wait for word of their arrival to reach the sun princess, Mana opted to simply stand patiently to the side while his partner, very much the opposite, just trotted closer to the other waiting guards with a smile. "So, how many years in the dungeon do you two think you're gonna get? I'm putting a few bits down on a dozen or so for myself. Life for the other guy." He said with a jerk of his head back at Mana.
Blossom Gale:
"I hope so too. As important of a post the one we take is, I can't help but crave a little more action." Even as they waited patiently, Blossom could not help but continue wondering what was going to be asked of them. Bastion did pose a few good thoughts, but then again, it was a few of many possible things, and there was no way that Blossom could possibly be prepared for all of them. All she had to do was remember that she had to keep herself composed while in front of the princess. Act with authority, professionalism, and absolution, have the best intentions of the Royal Sisters in mind with every action taken. Her concentration came to a screeching halt when she heard the sounds of two voices echoing through the halls, one more composed than the other. These two must have been lost or something, she didn't even think that the castle was open for tours this week. She turned her head, and at the sight of their own armour, Blossom let out a heavy and exasperated sigh, turning to face forward once more, her annoyance pretty clear. They were guards alright, and they were making so much idle chatter. Blossom couldn't even stop herself from eavesdropping at this point, not when sound practically amplified itself in the vaulted ceiling. What were they talking about? Being late for a cup of hot cocoa? Oh the nerve... Blossom closed her eyes and slowly ground her teeth together in an attempt to keep herself from ranting at them about the concept of professionalism. If they were here for the same reasons that Bastion and Blossom were here, surely they knew that being late to see the princess was quite possibly the greatest showing of disrespect?
She leaned towards Bastion, asking quietly, "Do you know these two, Bastille? I have not seen them on our shifts before, nor have I heard them." If her father were here, he would have definitely given them what for. As her mind reached for all manner of justice that could be sought against these two, the louder one approached them, much to her chagrin. After he asked them how much time they would be getting in the dungeon, Blossom rolled her eyes and quickly mumbled to herself, "Si je devais ne pas professionnel comme vous, j'espère que d'être jeté dans le cachot pour le reste de ma vie... If we were to be arrested and thrown into the dungeon, we would be escorted by other armed guards, not coming here alone." Her tone was as flat as her expression, "The princess has summoned us for an important task, one that does not require a... fix of hot chocolate, as you find yourself coming to terms with. Are you two being summoned as well?"
Bastion:
"Yeah... Action sure would be nice," Bastion agreed quietly, almost idly as he stared forward at the door, grin still spread on his lips and body shaking every now and then from excitement. He did all he could to keep himself composed, to be professional, but he was doing a fairly poor job. He was being quiet, at least; he just couldn't wait to see what was in mind for Aurora Noctem. Then, as he heard voices from the hall behind him, Bastion turned his gaze over his shoulder to see who it was, only to lower his head to Blossom a bit when she asked if he knew the two ponies in question. "I don't really recall their names, but I think those are some of Celestia's personal guard..." he said quietly, also a little off-put by the hot chocolate comments. "I've heard some of the other guards talk about them a bit." He then fell silent as they approached, the large unicorn just quietly flicking his gaze between the two new guards as Blossom responded, his grin long-gone. With nothing to add, he stayed silent like that, just awkwardly standing and waiting, his hoof scuffing the ground beneath him every so often.
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