“Sir!”

I looked up at the pegasus that came in for a landing before I raised a eyebrow at him, “Cloud. First of all, you are Day Guard. Second, you are out of uniform and as such not on duty. Third, you are my friend. Cut it the fuck out.”

Folding his wings he smiled easily, his breath a cloud in the winter air, “Sorry, reflex. I have been calling everyone sir for the last three months.”

“The guard is keeping you busy?” I asked with a smile.

He nodded with a sigh, “Yep. Been running the tour between Canterlot and the garrison over at Staliongrad for the last three months.”

“Woah.”

I had spent some time studying maps of Equestria. That's quite a distance.

“It got easier after the first month.” He shrugged, “But if you think basic sounded tough... try spending twelve hours in the air a day flying high and fast. While carrying satchels with messages.”

“You know, sometimes I wonder why I didn't join the guard. Then I'm reminded exactly why by things like that.”

“Eh, you always were a prissy unicorn.”

I raised a eyebrow at him, “This prissy unicorn could kick your arse any day of the week, birdy.”

“You never managed it before. And that was before I went through training.”

I chuckled and shouldered the pegasus, “Missed having you around, featherhead. So what's up? Get kicked out?”

“Ha! There were times I wished for that.” He laughed and pushed back before he grinned, walking along the street alongside me, “Nope, was too good. Got transferred.”

“Too fast, huh? They managed to find you a longer route?”

He grinned, “I bet they would if they could! But nope. Royal Guard, Canterlot garrison. Air scout division. They need fast and high fliers with good stamina. While my large wings don't let me go as fast as some, they are also pretty good for long distance when high up” before he smiled at an admittedly kinda pretty amber pegasus mare that walked past the other direction.

“I suppose a congratulations is in order.”

Canterlot was the premier post that everyone in the guard wanted. They were the closest to the princesses.

“Damn right. Let's find Swift and the drinks are on you.”

I raised a eyebrow, “Don't you mean on you?”

“I'm on a private's pay. You are the rich one, you buy.”

I just chuckled in amusement before I nodded, “Very well. But it's going to need to wait, Swift is on duty for...” I glanced around until I found a timepiece, “Another two hours.”

“Well, damn. So what are you up to?”

“Right now? Nothing really, heading for the wall road.”

The road stretching all around Canterlot in a big circle on top of the thick wall. It was the normal path recruits and the guard used for their running as it was usually clear other than for the occasional patrol or piece of siege equipment as it was blocked for civilians.

I had access as well. And this was one privilege of my position I had all intention to make full use of. Because if I didn't keep in shape between sessions there is no way I would survive Luna.

Our practice sessions of course. What were you thinking of?

“Finally got off your comfy chair and started to work for a living?”

“Perish the thought.” I snorted, “Nope, just wanna keep in shape. Too much awesome food at the castle. If I don't run, I'll soon be rolling down the road.”

“Oh yeah, can't have the Princess have a pudgy consort.”

I couldn't help but grin, “That too.”

“You lucky bastard.”

“Don't you know it.”

“You know, she does have a sister...” Thunder Cloud started to say with a grin, “Introduce me?”

I almost tripped over my own hooves, “Wait, what, seriously?”

He looked at me for a long moment before he grinned, “No. The thought of hitting on Princess Celestia is seriously scary. Had you going though!”

I rolled my eyes, “If you want me to, I can introduce you. Could just bring you in to one of the more relaxed functions I have to go to from time to time. I'll arrange an introduction, but the rest would be up to you.”

Cloud shook his head, “No, seriously, I would have no clue what to do. A normal mare is one thing, but one of the Princesses... especially 'the' Princess... I would have no idea what to say.”

“Hello, I'm Thunder Cloud, I want to make you squeak?” I suggested with a grin, “And I'll argue with you over who's 'the' Princess if I have to.”

The big bad Royal Guard Scout seemed to choke on his own spit.

The worst thing was that I had a feeling that that line might actually work on Celestia if said in private so she could drop her public face. Or in public depending on how much she wanted to fuck with the heads of the audience.

He finally cleared his throat and shot me a look, the inside of his ears burning red, “Damn it, don't say stuff like that without warning!”

I just shrugged with a smirk, “So? Want that introduction?”

“Dude, I'm a enlisted member of the Guard. Private, not even a Sergeant, there is no way Princess...”

“And I'm a author, what's your point?” I interrupted him.

Cloud looked more uncertain than I had ever seen him before he shook his head.

“Up to you. Let me know if you change your mind.” I said with a grin as we trotted past the checkpoint onto the wall road, the guards just giving us a quick look before allowing us past when they recognized me, “But for now, we have a couple of hours until we can grab Swift. Keep up if you can.”

“There will be a cold day in Tartarus before a pegasus gets outrun by a unicorn. On the ground or not. You keep going further than me and I'll buy today.”

He didn't pay for a single drink.