The cobble stone floor chills my stomach as I lay here, my hoofs in chains. The worst part about this, I haven’t even done anything wrong. Sure, lurking around in the forest, knocking out everypony that comes too close, then returning them to their homes isn’t the most commemorative of actions, but I didn’t hurt any of them. I sigh and sit up. Looking down at the monstrosities that are my new legs. The specialized steel plating around the iron skeleton and rubber soled hoofs make me feel worse than what forced me to dabble in mechanics like this.

I can hear the rain hammering the castle that I once defended with my very life. Why did I have to be cursed with such incredible awareness and analytical skills? Inside, I wanted desperately to escape this prison. It wouldn’t be hard; there were two guards stationed outside my cell and the cell opened once a day for meals. I could knock them unconscious, and take out the remaining six guards down the hall before bolting out of the Pegasus hanger. That is if that was where they were keeping my favorite creation. The door opened. It was three hours before meal time and I didn’t have high hopes for what this would bring.

Standing in front of me was a white stallion in the golden armor of the Clestiaen Royal Guard, behind him, a small, purple and green dragon with a pad and quill. I recognized the unicorn in front of me well. The dark blue shield and pink star cutie mark was unmistakable.

“Do you know who I am?” he asked me.

“Yes. Commander Shining Armor of the Solar Guard, formal rank, Captain of the Guard.” I tell him starring him in the eyes.

“You do your homework.”

I see the dragon taking down notes as we speak, I know him as well. Spike, official chronicler for Twilight Sparkle, unofficial lackey and punching bag of the same pony. It was odd to see him away from her. I push the though aside and look back to Captain Armor. “You could say that Captain. What do you want to know about me?”

“Let’s start from the beginning.” he says taking a seat in front of me.

“Define beginning.”

“How about your name and where that came from.” he said pointing a hoof to my flank.

I look down and see my cutie mark embroidered on my dark blue coat. The silver wings spread from a crescent moon lying on its side. In between the arms of the crescent, a single star floats. I look back at him and smirk.

“My name is Corporal Lunarus Solaris Nexus of the Evening Guard, formally known as the Evening Armada. This came from my dedication to the topic of the civil war that came when Nightmare Moon took over. My ancestors fought for her, that is where I got the name. From the most renowned general of the Armada”

“How did you get that mark?”

“Of everything I studied, I studied the magic of the Armada and their fighting tactics the most. One day several colts began taunting me for my lack of a cutie mark. And one of them started pushing me around. I didn’t take kindly to that and I bucked him right under the jaw. I ran into the forest next to the playground and hid in a tree waiting for them. From there, I used my magic to make them become paranoid of their darkened surroundings. Using both telekinesis and psychological spells to enhance the effects of the growing paranoia. Basic Armada tactic. After they ran screaming from the forest, this appeared on my flank. After some research I found that it was what use to be the Medal of Honor in the Armada.”

“And the legs?”

I chuckled. “Now that will take much longer to discuss Captain.”

The day had come, I’m eighteen! Free to do whatever I wanted; and since I had heard of Luna’s return only a few days ago, I was anxious to join the Guard. She had been back for about a month before I heard about it and I knew that there would be openings for personal guards of her own the moment I heard about it. And just after that I applied to the Royal Army. Hopefully they would accept me. They had told me that they would send the letter on my eighteenth birthday. And I quickly ran outside and into the streets of Canterlot. The beautiful buildings rose into an ever expansive morning sky and I run full stride to the post office down the street. I feel the wind blow through my jet black mane and tail as I stride faster and faster. The clop of my hoofs on the stone streets fills the air and echoes off the tall buildings.

It was odd being the only one awake at six o’clock in the morning. No carriages rolled down the streets, shops were still closed and the newsstands only just starting to open their venues. Not caring about the traffic (or lack thereof) I made a sharp right after running for two blocks and crossed the street only to barrel head long into the door of the post office. The glass door didn’t budge as I ran flat into it. I see a yellow mare inside turn to look at me with my face planted in the glass door. I can only manage a nervous smile and a chuckle as she walks over, keys in her teeth.

“For a unicorn, you’re not too bright are you?” her smooth voice asked me after she unlocked the door.

“I’m just a little over zealous this morning. How you been Lea?” I ask as I enter the post office.

“Just fine, Nexus. I heard you applied for the guard?”

“Never thought word spread this fast in a big city like this.”

“Well I don’t know about travel. Most everypony in the back is talking about it.”

“Damn you Mirrors.”

And with my luck he just walked into the room, his gray coat was mostly covered by an orange vest and his white mane covered with a hard hat. “Is that anyway to talk about your best friend, Nexus?”

“That might be a stretch Smokey.”

I always found it strange that ol’ Smoke n’ Mirrors never found a job that involved his skills with “Magic”. He was a simple Earth pony that was good with slight of hoof. He even convicted a guy that he was a unicorn by levitating his sandwich with fishing wire tied to his hind leg.

“I thought I told you to keep the guard thing a secret.”

“I thought that meant I could tell one person.”

“Go back to directing traffic Smokey.”

“Now is that something you want to say to the pony that has..” he waved his hoof around and from nowhere there was a letter sitting upon it. “…this.”

I quickly grabbed the letter with my magic and jumped for joy. When I realized I wasn’t alone I composed myself and thanked him for the letter before sprinting back home. I burst through the door to see my mother nearly jump back up the stairs and out of her robe. Her coat was dark blue and her mane was long and jet black. Mine I kept relatively short. Her sliver eyes were tired but she still had a smile on her face.

“Good morning Lunarus.” she said hovering a cup of tea up to her lips.

“I told you to stop calling me that ma’.”

“Sorry son. It’s just too early.”

“Whatever, look what I’ve got.” I said hovering the letter with the royal seal over to her.

“You got the mail?”

“No. Well, yes, but that’s not the point. This is the letter that might decide my future.”

She finally looked up to see the seal on the envelope and her silver eyes turned to diner plates. “The letter from the Academy?”

“Yep. I’m so nervous! Should I open it now or wait for dad to wake up?”

“Get it over with now!” she said filled with a sudden enthusiasm. She knew that this would be the best use of my talents.

I didn’t even bother “opening” the letter. I used a fire spell and the envelope burst into flames. When the fire cleared, the letter hovered in its place as I unfolded it. As I read my anxious mind went into over drive to the point that I didn’t notice I was starting to float off the hard wood floor.

“Dear Lunarus Solaris Nexus,

We are happy to inform you that you have been accepted to the Canterlot Military Academy for full screening and training. You are to report to the Academy at 0830 tomorrow for orientation and the first day of Basic Training. We thank you for your dedication to your Princess Celestia.

Commander Shining Armor”

“You got in!” my mother shouted.

I fell from my field of magic and landed firmly on my hoofs. “I got in!” I said happily doing a full back flip.

“What’s all the commotion down here so early in the morning?” my father said getting to the bottom of the stairs. His gray mane was completely madded like he had lost an epic battle with his pillow. And his black coat looked oily, like he forgot to shower yesterday.

“Dad, I got in to the Academy!”

“You did? How? I thought they said last time you weren’t in good enough shape to pass the tests.”

“There is a reason the door is unlocked at five o’clock in the morning. I’ve been working my tail off to be in the best shape of my life. And they finally accepted me!”

Unlike my mother, my father kept his head on his shoulders. “Great job son, I’m proud of you.”

My smile could have been miles wide right now. I had finally found some place I could do what I was good at and enjoy life. I wanted to do another back flip.

“I’ll be sure to keep it that way, dad. I promise.”

“That is how it started Captain. Now can you tell me why I was-”

“Keep talking. You were accepted, and you came to the Academy the next day, continue form there.”

“Fine.” I say with a groan.

The day I arrived was one of the hardest of my life. Master Sergeant Brand Fire was the Drill Sergeant for all of the new recruits and he was very aptly named. he prefered to be called Firebrand, but everypony called him Sergeant. The dark red unicorn with a blonde mane with a light red tint to it was in full Celestian Guard armor and had a knack for shooting fire at people who talked out of line. The first thing he asked us was what we were here for and my answer was probably the worst.

“To protect and serve Luna Sir!”

I didn’t realize just how poor my choice of motivation was until it was too late. I was forced to run around the entire, twenty mile wide campus of the Academy. Thank Luna I wasn’t the only one. A dark gray Pegasus with a white mane and lightning cloud cutie mark had snickered when Firebrand told me to hoof it. He had his wings tied down to keep him from cheating as Firebrand followed in a chariot pulled by two Pegesi. And if we tried to slow down, he would shoot a ring of fire down on us. Good thing he never said anything about talking.

“Hey, I’m Lunar Nexus.” I said through a pant.

“Storm Cloud, call me Storm.” he replied just as exhausted.

“So long as you call me Nexus.”

I couldn’t tell if he nodded at me or what, but I didn’t have time to find out as I felt a fire ball explode behind me.

“Keep it up colts! Only ten miles left to go! Move it!”

Thanks to the marathon we had just ran, we were late for lunch and most of orientation. What a way to start. I had no idea where anything was or how things ran around here. I had an earth pony inform me on what Storm and I had missed. The first class on battle strategy was to begin in less than an hour and after that we were to receive our uniforms before we started drills. We were to do all of this without question or complaint or it would cost us dearly. Whether it be sleep or have to hoof scrub the latrines with our tooth brushes. The combat class was boring. I know my specialty is battle strategy and magic, but I never studied formal combat.

In fact, it was too formal. If Celestia hadn’t done what she had, then she would have lost the war hands down. Formations, phalanxes, attack patterns. How did they expect us to not be massive targets? We would be open form almost every direction but the way we were facing. But I knew what would happen if I questioned the Captain teaching us. I could grasp it easily enough, but that was only because they were so predictable.

After the six hour class had ended, we were directed to the Academy shop. We were given a four hundred bits and a list of supplies we needed to buy. It was a long list. Armor & boots, compass, lantern, back up lantern, two canteens a saddle bag, a larger bag, six uniforms, two maps, jacket, book of the rules of the Academy and a pen; total cost, four hundred and ten bits. It was a massive upset to most of us. Not only were we broke, but we were already in debt.

Like the formations, it wasn’t hard to get use to my new surroundings: up at 0400 everyday, brecfast at 0405, classes from 0410 to 1100, lunch at 1101, formation training form 1105 to 1600, hoof to hoof combat 1601 to 1900, dinner at 1901, lights out at 2100, repeat. Giving us two hours to ourselves. I was lucky enough to have Storm Cloud as my bunkmate with two other ponies living in the same room. One desk, radio and bathroom for four stallions wasn’t the best idea the military brass ever had. There were mares in the Academy but they lived in a separate building though.

I’ve been here for a month and I’ve seen wrong things happen to good ponies, but nothing like I am looking at right now. During our two hours of freedom we had after the grueling eighteen hour day that we endured daily, I saw a group of stallions harassing a new recruit. Shoving him around the yard, toppling him over a bench or two and even flat out slapping him and this wasn’t the first time I had seen them doing this. They touchier recruits until they fight back then they get booted . Storm told me to keep my cool and no one will be discharged, but I had had enough of their shit. I stood form the bench I as sitting in and stormed my way over to them. The tallest of them wasn’t skilled in fighting, just throwing his weight around. He was brown, with no mane, a short blonde tail, blank blue eyes and a barbell for a cutie mark. His buddies included a white Pegasus and a light blue earth pony, both with no mane and cut short tails.

“Hey, pucky-for-brains!” I shouted over.

“Hu? You talkin’ to me!?” he asked.

“Yeah, you talkin to him!?” the Pegasus parroted back.

“How about you pick on someone your own rank?” I suggested.

I was only an Private First class and he was a Corporal, but it sounded good at the time.

“Hu?”

“You heard me Mama’s colt! You want to mess with somepony, I’m right here!”

“What’d you say about my mama!?”

“Yeah, what you just say ‘bout his mama!?” the earth pony said this time.

‘I am so fucked’ I thought to myself as they three of them surrounded me.

The big one didn’t wait for another reason and tried to buck me. I was waiting for it and ducked under him but wasn’t ready for the Pegasus to tackle me to the ground. I pushed him off with my horn and into his earth pony friend waiting to bring his hind legs down on my head. The large one charged me again with his head lowered. I panicked, he was coming fast and I had nowhere to run. I lowered my horn and cringed as I felt and electric charge pulse through me and out the tip of my horn. The bolt made instant contact with the rampaging stallion’s forehead with a powerful, booming crack. He yelped as he crumbled and slid to a stop at my hoofs. His friends were already running away from me as I stood there astonished at what I had just done.

“Nexus!” bellowed Sergeant Firebrand.

I turned to see him motioning me towards the administration building in the middle of the Academy. I looked back at Storm once then trotted off to meet Firebrand. I stood at attention before him waving me off.

“Follow me Nexus.” he said in a flat tone.

“Yes, Sir!”

I didn’t argue. I followed him down several hallways before reaching the center of the main building.

“Wait here.”

“Yes, Sir.” I repeat holding my ground.

He walked forward and around a corner before I heard a door shut. I could feel my heart starting jump form my chest. It was the most draining minute of my life as I anticipated to be called into Commander Armor’s office and be promptly discharged. Firebrand poked his head out from the door and waved me in. I walked in to the Commander Armor’s office with my head held high. He was sitting at his desk with several pictures of other ponies he had trained, worked with and I assumed were also his family.

“Sir!” I said saluting him.

“As you were Private.” I put my hoof down but didn’t stand at rest. “Lunarus Solaris Nexus? That’s a mouth full. Born and raised in Canterlot, father’s former member of the guard and a very long ancestry of soldiers in both Celesita’s and Luna’s armies. You only now being able to join and you are looking for a position in Luna’s guard. Not the typical request from a recruit.” he said putting a folder down.

“I understand, Sir.”

“And now I hear you fighting higher ranking collogues? What do you have to say for yourself Nexus?”

“Sir, I was trying to help a new recruit out of trouble.”

“So you tried to show him how to fight?”

“No Sir, he was being pushed around by Corporal Heavy and I had to step in before he was hurt.”

“So this was an act of selflessness?”

“You could say that, Sir.”

Levitating the folder back up he paraphrased what he was reading. “Says here, you have a habit of fighting and saying you were “helping somepony else out”, and that no one stuck up for that.”

“If you don’t believe me, Sir, I wouldn’t blame you.” I lied.

“I do believe you Private. I’m not going to discharge you.”

“What!” Firebrand shouted, his horn catching fire.

“Everyone deserves a second chance, Firebrand. And this young stallion has proven that this won’t happen again. Am I right Private?”

“Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir.”

“Dismissed.”

I saluted Commander Armor once more before walking out of the office. My hour to myself was up and I had to get back to the barracks before I had Firebrand’s hoof further up my ass then it already was.