“Move it you mares, hustle!” I could never really get over the fact that when the drill sergeant said ‘hustle’ it sounded as if he was putting extra emphasis on the last syllable. At first I believed it was a way to just annoy me, but a brief encounter with my unit leader put that idea to rest. My sympathy towards him remained the same regardless. I’m not being totally heartless now. In fact, I felt sorry that he had such a bad speech impediment. I could only imagine it was his days in secondary education that drove him to be the stallion he is today. I’m not one to right out say that your past has a bearing on your future, though I do believe that one’s past has something to do with how they represent themselves in the present. That probably didn’t make sense. Guess you can mark off philosopher from the list of titles I’ve drawn up for myself. Who would believe a colt like me to be anything more than a simple soldier though? I had smarts, but I didn’t pursue the unequivocal life of a teacher mainly because I had been one since my colthood. I had a different calling. If you haven’t already guessed, I’m involved in the sort of work that imaginative young colts spend their entire afternoons fantasizing about. Sure I wasn’t anything special, but it didn’t matter to me. The fact that I was part of the Canterlot Royal Guard was enough evidence of my self-worth. My family thought so anyway, so I figured I had to believe the same thing.

My birth wasn’t extraordinary. I came into the world as the first born to two unicorns and subsequently gained my cutie mark during my coronation into the Guard. I’m the eldest of two and arguably the best sibling ever. My days in the Guard have since reduced that time allotted for family matters, but I still manage to keep in touch. Family was important, but so was my duty. I would hastily deny ever saying such a thing, but I was never really one to escape unscathed from my lies. I have my younger sister to blame for that.  

Another harsh excess of unintelligible speech spilled out of the drill sergeant’s mouth. The veins in his neck occasionally bulged in reaction to his profane insults and petty threats. The stallion was just over exerting himself. The sweat rolling off of his forehead was practically as thick as mine, and this guy wasn’t even galloping. It was the heat, I concluded after a while. I figured giving him the benefit of the doubt would make me less of a horrible pony than some of the other stallions galloping alongside of me.

“Hey Rookie, lost in thought?” My mind was caught wandering, but I wouldn’t give this green-maned trouble maker the satisfaction of knowing that. Instead, I kicked up a little dust and chuckled.

“Just thinking about the heat is all,” I said.

“All that thinking is going to hurt you Rookie, this is field exercise, not map nav-training,” this stallion responded back. I had to admire Saddlebuck for his wit. Even during navigational classes, or anything aside from field work, he would argue that too much thinking was bad for the brain. I often wondered if maybe it was because he never used his. He galloped ahead of me and whipped my face with his tail. I decided not to accept his challenge. It would be better if my white coat not get as dirty as his. Because of the olive tint of Saddlebuck’s coat, it was difficult to tell if he truly was soiled. A lot of the other stallions sought witticism in this, but I found it oddly convenient. That may just be because I’ve always had to live with my ‘pristine blanket of pure white snow’ as one mare had so delicately put it a while back. I never did agree with my mother on that.

“Rookie, move your blue ass!” The C.O. shouted from across the field.

“With all due respect sir, I believe we’re all stallions,” the pony ahead of me chortled back. “Not to mention, it’s his tail that’s blue, not his flank.”

“What are you doing Saddlebuck? Everyone will have your hide if we get another ten laps,” I said. I didn’t need this guy to answer for me, or at all for that matter. But his crazy self always wanted to cause grief for the higher ups.

“Don’t be such a mare, or I’ll have to slap you again,” he said meeting me at my pace. We both peered over at the oblivious C.O.

“He didn’t hear you, thank Celestia,” I sighed.

“And what if he did? You can’t tell me that you’re exhausted already.” My face read of irritancy, but Saddle didn’t care. That was because he knew I never really cared. Saddlebuck could poke at me and I wouldn’t mind. He was the closest thing I had to a friend here. I wouldn’t even go so far as to admit that, but the accurate terminology escaped me at the moment.

“Unicorns don’t have the physical stamina an Earth steed possess, so yes I can tell you that I’m exhausted,” I admitted painfully. Saddlebuck laughed. I was sure the C.O. heard that one.

“Saddle! You and Rookie, ten more laps! Every other mare, bring it in,” the drill sergeant ordered after whistling for everpony to halt. I crashed into that idiot Saddlebuck but he simply laughed in response and collided with me in retaliation.

“Looks like we get that race after all Rookie,” he wheezed out smiling like the idiot he was.

“Stop calling me Rookie, we’re in the same unit and we’re the same rank,” I voiced out. This must have been my thousandth time bringing this up to him, but he refused to concede. That term had stuck to me like honey. Even those who held the ‘rookie’ status were granted their names back after a few weeks. I saw this form of harassment as one of two things. I was either so fresh that nopony would give me the time of day, or I met their expectations too quickly and now the entire Guard is in denial.

“You’ll stay a noob with that sort of speed,” Saddlebuck shouted ahead of me. The bastard took off without warning, though it didn’t surprise me much. I was not amused, but rather than let these next ten laps waste my time, I decided to show this jerk who he was dealing with. I only ever knew of one pony to use my actual name in all of the Guard, and when he did it was always the final part, and not the former. Had I known he was watching me that afternoon, I might not have decided to trip up Saddlebuck on the eighth lap. That was a stupid move Shining Armor…

*****

“Hey Rookie, I saved you a seat,” somepony said after I had tried to sneak out of the mess hall.

“Let him alone, you know he’s got a date right now,” another said whipping his friend over the head. I was just as intrigued as the stallions staring at this pony’s sudden bruise.

“Yeah, how’s Ria? I bet she delivers real well.” Ah, that’s what they were talking about. It would have come to me eventually I’m sure.

“You’d better believe it, I’ve been over her twice,” a crimson pony bragged. The entire table roused with laughter.

“I didn’t know you could read Wallos,” Saddlebuck interjected directly across from him.

“How do you think I made it in here Saddle?” his response was more defensive than my cutie mark.

“My bad, I guess I assumed too much. After all, if your literacy was your ticket inside I can see why you suck so badly at combat training.” I didn’t think Wallos could turn any redder. The colts around him nudged the flustered pony, but he beat them off with a macho look and a quick swipe. I took my seat, despite their mocking towards my latest read. I was planning on finishing a chapter or two during dinner, but my already delicate status was at stake. I figured it could wait, since it would be my fourth time going through it.

“Heard you two were cutting up out in the field today,” somepony said down the line to me and Saddlebuck.

“Heard you were snooping around again,” he jeered back.

“Saddlebuck wanted proof of gravity’s hold on him,” I replied back shooting him a playful glance. His mouth curled upwards in response.

“You used your damn magic against me Rookie, so don’t even act all high and mighty,” he said with a mouth full of hay. A few stallions gave me disapproving reviews and honored Saddlebuck for his integrity in the race. I didn’t feel it necessary to mention that I activated my magic in retaliation to his little dust cloud. Instead, I grinned and enjoyed the slop set before me.

“Guess what I’ve been hearing,” a grey hued stallion whispered next to me.

“Something about your sister?” another teased back.

“Not cool Free Fall,” I said quickly reprimanding the Pegasus. I didn’t tolerate those kinds of jokes, at least not in front of or around me.

“Thanks Rook, anyway, I hear Orre is getting some top secret mission from the head herself,” the pony continued.

“So what’s new?” Saddlebuck asked apatheticly.

“Something big man, the Princess has been meetin’ with Orre personally for three days now!”

“Sure it isn’t a fling?” Wallos chuckled out finishing his drink.

“I can’t believe you even suggested that,” I yelled out. “Captain Val Orre wouldn’t do something like that, and I’m sure as hay the princess wouldn’t swoon over someone like him.”

“Beep, beep, beep, brownnoser.” Had these colts just invited me over to pick fun at me? Boy I was the foal in this setup.

“Why the hay would Orre have an affair with Celestia? He can do better than that,” Saddlebuck commented. That caught me off guard. This conversation was quickly escalating beyond rumor and breeding into accusations and theories. Remaining silent was the best course action for this engagement. There were things said that would be enough to warrant a court martial at this point. I could not for the life of me listen anymore to the speculations of the soldiers sitting at this table. We were all young, maybe that’s why we flocked together so easily, but our naivety knew no bounds. This is what the older, more esteemed and valued of the Royal Guard thought of us. In mentioning valued and respectable ponies, one did cross my eye as I diverted my gaze from the pearl sheen of our mess table into the sea of faces. He was sitting alone again. Captain Orre seemed to do that a lot.

Upon first witnessing someone of his caliber and prestige, I had my goal set as soon as I was able to begin my training. I often spoke highly of this stallion to my sister beforehand, but all of those stories were exactly those; they were just stories. Val Orre was singlehoofedly the best depiction of an Earth pony in all of Equestria. His fame was renown even to lands outside of Equestria. He was formal, and prompt. I failed to recall a time where he was late or without his royal Canterlot armor. His gaze constantly shifted back and forth from his tray to the glass stained window next to him. I wondered what sort of things a pony like that often sat around and thought about. Captain of the whole Guard. Princess Celestia’s guard. Hoof chosen by the ruler herself. Val Orre brushed back his coarse brown mane and began stroking the bushes of hair around his lips and under his face.

I found it odd that a Unicorn envy anything of an Earth pony. I found it even stranger that at times I would compare myself to him in both physical prowess and personality. Needless to say, this stallion was inspiring. My letters to my beloved sister and my parents often recant the tales of his feats, personally clarified and peer reviewed by members of his elite class. I made sure of that. Often times I would misquote his bravery, or incorrectly display his loyalty to Canterlot. I always had trouble illustrating his commendable leadership and unwavering tenacity. Above all, his call of duty was the highest I’ve ever witnessed of any mare or colt. Protecting Canterlot and the princess was just part of the greater picture he always held in his mind. This pony exhibited an extreme pride in his work. His call was so important to him that he had to cut ties with his previous wife and their two children. When left to decide, it really boiled down to the safety of Canterlot over hers. I could see how the notion of having an affair with Celestia could be brought up then, but I knew something like that was far beneath Val Orre. His triumphant achievements and his notable eminence suffocated any other ideas one would have for such a stallion.

He didn’t speak much, but when he did I dare say nopony objected. He kept to himself mostly outside of briefings and announcements despite his regal position over Canterlot. Still, Captain Orre was not one to shy away from the opportunity to socialize with his soldiers. In fact, he made it a point to get to know each of his stallions personally. I know Saddlebuck has a keen interest in inheriting Orre’s role as Captain of the Royal Guard one day, but I don’t see how a hot head such as him could ever make it past a Lieutenant. As for me, my respects are given not only because this stallion is my Captain, but because he’s the only one who refers to me as Armor. Other than a first name bases, I couldn’t say that I personally knew the stallion though. I followed his orders and I followed his example. To the very end I vowed to follow them.

“…and then he just knocks them all dead with the broken jawbone of a tribal donkey,” Bramble finished. I came in at the wrong time, as I normally do, and my countenance yielded a few snickers and chuckles.

“That is an inaccurate depiction of the Battle of Assyria,” I said quickly working off of the last fragment of the sentence I was introduced with. I figured this way it wouldn’t appear as if I had been spacing out.

“Don’t fret Rookie, Bramble was talking about something else,” Saddlebuck said calling my bluff. He was grinning at my embarrassment. Bramble, damn him for even bringing everything up in the first place. That pony could not keep his mouth shut for any reason. I was declined the opportunity to super glue his mouth shut when several other stallions told me how it just made his talking ‘even messier’. Still, the grey colored colt made up for his annoyance in his repertoire of works. He was an excellent navigator and field survivalist. I was often top of the class in many of the courses during my days in the Royal Academy, but this Unicorn outweighed even me in academia of practical use. He continued his rambling about some missing constellation from over a thousand years ago and I drowned him out in my thoughts once more. My eyes searched for the lone Captain once more, but the hunt was fruitless. Val Orre had vanished, right on time.

“Rookie…Rookie!!!” the voice echoed throughout the entire mess hall shushing a few of the other tables. My hooves clattered about recklessly and my posture shot erect at this turn of events. I glanced over at Saddlebuck who subtly shook his head. The least he could do was tell me that Soren was coming. I felt the breath of another individual glide down my neck and unbearably fought the urge to remove the snout pressing against my cheek.

“Why am I not surprised?” The lips of my Lieutenant danced upon my cheeks roughly. Soren Sky remained perpendicular to my stance and finally removed his face from mine when I concluded he had finished his taste test. “You may have been first in your class at the Academy Rookie, but here you might as well be the very stool I sit over every morning, and I’m not talking about a chair Colt,” Soren said spitefully. After this was over I would have to remind him that he was only four years ahead of me in age, so to call me ‘colt’ was about as hazardous as gathering honey from a hornets’ nest. His defacing of me lost the interest of everpony in the hall considering we repeat this routine almost regularly. I would chalk it up to habit, but I think I have to be the one with the problem to consider it a habit of mine. Soren’s eyes did not leave my face. He opened his right wing and pulled my head in his direction forcing me to look upon my assailer.  

I locked eyes with the fiery red irises of the steel-blue Pegasus. He still had his armor on, appearing a little bigger than me in stature. He was also spreading his wings out to intimidate me. If this stallion wasn’t my commanding officer, he’d already be gone. Scratch that, if there weren’t so many other commanding officers here, he would be gone. My eyes escaped his gaze and noticed the glossy resin layering his coat. I hadn’t ever taken Soren as a fashion colt. Then again, my description of Soren provokes two thoughts that I dare not even utter in my mind. Fashionable is in one of them.

It was almost as if Soren was destined to be the hard ass that he was since he was conceived. I don’t know much about his youth, but Soren was an upper level student at the Academy. His fame throughout the establishment as Raging Star’s only son was what secured him the position he now holds. I was always tempted to bring this up to someone, but everypony would most likely shy away from the idea to mar Raging Star’s legacy. Soren glided through his years on his father’s success as an officer in the Equestrian Air Force. We’re not talking about these Wonderbolt wonders from Cloudsdale, though Star did get his start there, I’m referring to the elite fleet of Pegasai who guard all of Equestria first and perform pretty tricks never. I could only assume the level of ultramasculinity circulating throughout Soren’s household during dinner or when Star would host his military parties. My initial thoughts upon discovering that Soren Sky would be my Squad Leader were honestly reverent, and I had hoped to make a good impression on the lineage of the great Raging Star.

One thing my younger sister always told me was that she didn’t feel the need to mingle with other ponies and make friends because they weren’t important. Earlier attempts of me explaining our relationship as “friendship” ended in denial and every situation I placed her in would result in me chasing after that strange filly. My first mistake as a Royal Guard was not heeding her advice. Soren quickly reestablished the broken link in our vision and I couldn’t help but feel that he was just picking on me now. “Sir, I apologize Lt. Sky sir.” That would suffice. It was simple and by the book. I wasn’t going to waste my breath on this…oh wait, promised not to say that…

“I don’t want your apology Rookie, I want your submission. I’d be damned to Tartarus if I allow even one pony in my squad to display the disrespect you’ve just given me,” Soren bit back. Thus, the reasoning behind choosing such a low-key apology.

“Sir, forgive me sir, but you have my…submissiveness sir. And frankly sir I’m tired of having to prove myself to you sir!” I was waiting for a response. A consequence would have been a better word to use in that thought actually. This stallion really got under my skin, and while I had to exhibit some form of respect to this jerk, I at the same time would often provoke him and end up physically disputing against Lt. Sky. Soren had this idea that we operated like Equestrian military. That notion couldn’t be any further from the truth. Let me rephrase again; It’s undisputed fact that Celestia and Luna organized the Canterlot Royal Guard similar to the military structure of Equestria, but the fact remains that we were all technically under one command. Two if you counted Celestia herself. The notion of separate ranks was a system forged between a few guards who had been inactive duty officers in the Equestrian army. This tiny council decided that the system would operate more effectively if there existed a pseudo chain-of-command. It was more along the lines of a span-of-control if you ask me however.

“You’re sick? You’re sick Rookie?” Soren’s voice hinted a little pride. I expected he believed I owed him something. I owed him a lot of beatings, that was for sure. “I’m repulsed by the sight before me. Next time I walk in, address me with more respect and acknowledge your commanding officer,” Soren snarled out.

“You’re not any more prestigious than us sir,” Saddlebuck said objectively. That idiot. Soren flew onto the table then and crushed the Earth pony’s meal under his hooves.

“You want to stick up for Rook, Saddlebuck? Then do it when somepony cares,” Soren said wiping the remaining slop off of his horseshoe and back onto Saddlebuck’s tray. Soren leapt off of his perch and took his position at the head of the table. His eyes still bled with cruelty and he held the table at attention for a long while before allowing us to sit. Everypony grumbled softly, criticizing me for my lack of attentiveness and Saddlebuck for being Saddlebuck. I looked over to him, but he had turned his attention to the wall opposite of Soren, staring blankly at the regal tapestry and uplifting wallpaper of the room. Never had I perceived such contrasting moods together in one place. Jackass suddenly cleared his throat.

“I’ve got some important news for this squad,” Soren announced excitedly. He immediately hopped onto the table again.

   “I don’t care how good he is, he isn’t getting a single bit,” Saddlebuck whispered across the table. I leant him a small chuckle and was glad that I wasn’t the only one. Soren continued on, failing to even notice the crowd tittering down the table.

“I have just been informed that sometime tomorrow Captain Val Orre will be looking at Sky Squad and searching for potential recruits.” It has been a while since our platoon was this quiet. I almost wished that it would remain like this.

“What kind of recruits, sir?”

“I’m not sure Teeter, all I know is that I’d better see some damn good work out of you lot when this does happen. I’ll be accompanying this small team as its C.O. and we will be led by the Captain himself. Now I was interested. My attention for Soren had long been tossed out, but this new installment caused me to re-gather my thoughts. I peered over to Bramble whose expression was clearly full of wonder. I questioned whether or not it was from his speculations being right or from the news of the event itself. For me, the latter was the catalyst. I had a feeling these recruits were going to be selected for some purpose, but the thought of embarking on a mission with Captain Orre was more than some purpose. Saddlebuck’s face matched mine. Already a secret pact had been formed. I could almost hear the words already,

”Payback, we’ll both try to impress Val Orre and the one chosen for this mission is the permanent winner of all other challenges…” Saddle’s quick glance in my direction guaranteed that thought.

“Alright, our shift is almost here. I want everypony suited up and ready to go in five. We’re going to relieve Yemen’s Squad and show Val Orre that Sky has the means to scale upward,” Soren said confidently. His arrogant and ludicrous catch phrase resulted in a group cry, one of the many in which I refused to participate in. Rather, I mouthed the words, “watermelon,” and raised my hoof into the air when appropriate.

“What did I tell you colts, I was right!” Bramble bragged as we exited the mess hall and back into the now setting sun.  

“Congratulations Bramble, I’d give you something but you’d probably drop it,” Saddlebuck said shoving him humorously. Bramble went on to explain how he wouldn’t and described for us the secrets of his ‘master grip’ through stories of his colthood. I felt sorry for the sucker paired with him tonight, though that would assure that neither would sleep through their shifts. My eyes gazed wearily at the setting sun. I hated night shifts, and Saddlebuck’s stupid mouth drained me of any energy left to stay awake.

“You’re with me tonight, eh?” Saddlebuck said nudging me from my thoughts yet again.

“I guess so,” I said.

“I told you to stop thinking already. How do you plan on getting picked for that special assignment if you keep your head lodged in your brain?”

“That doesn’t even make any sense,” I replied back removing his arm from around me. I watched as the final rays of sunlight hid behind the horizon clearing the sky of the citrusy colored orange and yellow that the evening sun bathed in. I never really stopped to consider how beautiful the sunset was. I was always too busy taking charge of the house or putting my Canterlotian duties before me to just sit and admire nature. My mind freely wandered as the sky darkened allowing the stars to shine over the world. The moon would be up in the sky soon. And then our shift would start. Already it was rising from the opposite end of the horizon. I felt strange that night, almost as if my spirit fell along with the sun, yet something was born anew with the caress of the cool night air against my coat. As a Unicorn, magic and empathy came naturally to me, however I failed to discern this feeling as anything extraordinary. I instead attributed it to the settling slop in my stomach. Saddlebuck pulled me away from the scene and shoved me into the barracks.

“C’mon Rookie, you know I’m afraid of the dark,” he jested tossing me my helmet.  

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