A month and four cases of beer later, Hestaria and White Knight were on their way to the Canterlot Military Academy for orientation. The air ship was filled with pegasi from Cloudsdale and some of the surrounding villages. Most were light gray and or white with blue manes with the acceptation of White Knight’s bleached blond mane. “It doesn’t look like much from up here.” Hestaria said White Knight looking out of the airship window.

“We’ll have to see. I heard that the drill sergeant that most ponies get is a total hard ass.” White Knight said leaning over to the window.

“I hope they have a bar on base.”

“I highly doubt it.”

“Fuck me flying.”

The air ship landed softly near the entrance of the Academy. The back side of the wall had a massive metal plate with the name of the instillation and the saying “May Celestia guide thee to greatness”.

“She knows I’ll need it.” Hestaria said to herself before being herded into rows of five with White Knight.

A dark red unicorn with a fiery yellow mane, dressed in full Celestian Guard Armor stepped out from the front the air ship and stood in front of the recruits.

“Alright you lazy good-for-nothings, ten-hut!” he shouted.

Everypony clicked their hoofs together and straightened their backs.

“I am Master Sergeant Firebrand.” He began as he paced in front of them. “I am here to make your life a living hell. This isn’t a field trip you misguided coat hanger ninjas, this is a training facility!” Firebrand glared directly at Hestaria. “Let me guess.” He said getting in her face. “You’re here to protect and serve Princess Luna, right?”

“No sir. I’m-”

“I’m sorry, what!?”

“No Sir!” Hestaria shouted.

“Good, because that’s not where you’re at right now! You are here for one reason and one reason alone, to be broken. And WHEN you reach your breaking point, we will rebuild you into the soldier of Celestia that you are meant to be. If you wanna’ quit now, it’s a long flight back.”

The air ship took off right behind them and left them there alone with Sergeant Firebrand.

“Now, since there are no questions, I’ll have First Sergeant Wave get you into orientation then you’ll be off to lunch. Sergeant!”

“Yes Sir! Company, right face!” everypony turned on their heels and faced to their right. “Forward, march!” White Knight marched with the rest of the pegasi, all the while keeping an eye on his bat winged friend.
The first hour of orientation was quarters assignments. White Knight got lucky and got a room all to himself. Something almost everypony there would kill for. After ten minutes of settling in, Knight was herded with the rest of her group into the mess hall for lunch hour. The grub was deserving of a dog rather than a pony. Brownish mush and water. After lunch, they were shoved into a class room and taught the basic rules of the Academy witch were as follows, do as your told, keep your points up and never piss off Firebrand. That last one wasn’t written but it was very useful to keep in mind. Immediately after that, a class on battle formations and strategy came. Less than an hour after that he received his uniform and the first PT drills started. Those were easy considering his and Hestaria’s line of work before this not being of those meager physique. Once the PT drills were over, another six hours of classes set in. The formations were easy to remember and replicate on the field. White Knight hated the classes, they made him feel like his brain was turning to mush rather than making him ready for a battle.

After the classes, the twenty of them were handed a bag with four hundred bits. Almost everypony, including White Knight, were elated as they were lead to the exchange with a list in hand. Upon entering, they were told to find everything on that list and pay for it upfront. 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. Great, now they owed the academy more than two months of servitude.

The campus was nice at least. The bright green grass was odd for the time of year but it wasn’t all that off putting, probably enchanted by some unicorn to always look like this. The tall stone buildings with towering columns were breathtaking. Nothing less for Celestia’s soldiers. The only simple building on campus was the gym. The sign on it said the Luna building but it was the gym. It made no sense to White Knight. They had been told that before going to combat, regardless if you liked it or not, you were to say ‘May Celestia guide me and Luna give me strength.’

The next six weeks went as follows: up at 0400 everyday, breakfast 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. They gave them two hours to themselves but Hestaria, despite preferring to stay up at night, spent that two hours sleeping.

Suddenly, something strange happened, Sergeant Fire wasn’t in that morning for his usual wake up call. Instead, a new stallion was heading the operation. His armor wasn’t like anything she had seen before. The navy blue chest piece spread back to his shoulders like bat wings and his helm looked like it had the dorsal fin of a fish standing where the top of the mane usually was. That wasn’t even the strangest part; he had a horn, and silver wings. A dark blue unicorn stallion with silver wings and odd armor was suddenly in charge. Okay, I guess?

He introduced himself as simply The Captain. He was now head of the Academy and would be over seeing every little thing going on. After introducing himself in the lecture hall, he took off to the front gate. A few minutes later the sound of his voice echoed across the campus asking somepony named Ephialtes if he could hear him. It was like Princess Luna’s legendary Royal Canterlot Voice but coming from his mouth.