The next day the final test took place, a siege on castle walls. In the middle of an open field, a team of infantry were to assault and take the flag hidden behind a massive wall. Her team, the Bomb Brigade, were told to drop as many paint bombs behind the wall and clear the way for the ground troops. The unicorns were to provide long range support and the earth ponies held wooden lances and carried grappling hooks to scale the walls. The walls were lined with unicorns using stun spells to knock pegasi out of the air and earth ponies getting close to the wall. Earth ponies inside the wall used crossbows with paintball tipped arrows to mark a target that had been hit.

White Knight kept a close eye on Hestaria as they took flight towards the castle walls. His formation sat behind hers as they went into their holding pattern waiting to attack the walls. He saw Hestaria arguing with her flight lead. Then her armor plating fell away and she dove out of the formation. Not wanting to lose what he had earned, he didn’t follow her. He kept formation and watched her sweep the front line of troops and then soar towards the wall.

She only became a speak in the air as her paint bombs exploded along the wall. White Knight felt his heart race watching Hestaria. As they approached, he saw her going Brave Hoof with a wooden staff.

“Bring the rain!” the flight lead shouted.

“But Private Hestaria’s down there!” White Knight shouted back.

“I said bring the rain! Either you drop your load or I’ll have you court marshaled.”

White Knight watched as Hestaria continued to fight waves of soldiers. He reached for the safety on his bomblet dispenser, and hesitated. White Knight didn’t care what happened to him after this. He took his hoof away from the safety and banked right, out of the formation. White Knight landed at the very edge of the forest on the other side of the wall and watched as Hestaria battled the soldiers.

“Enjoying the show?” a stallion asked coming up from behind White Knight.

“Captain!” White Knight said quickly standing at attention.

“As you were. Private Hestaria is showing great combat prowess.”

“Y-yes sir.”

“Why are you not in the skies with your squadron?”

Several explosions rang out as paint bombs went off with Hestaria still in the middle of the battle fighting her heart out. She turned towards the sounds of the explosions and took flight towards the flag as fast as she could. White Knights heart raced once more as Hestaria stole the flag in her teeth and flew off with the Pegasi.

“Yeah! Go Stari!” White Knight shouted happily before regaining his composure next to his Commander.

“I’m waiting Private.” The Captain said.

“I-I was told to drop munitions on one of my comrades Sir.”

“And you refused? That’s grounds for a court marshal. See me in my office at sun set.”

“Y-Yes Sir, Captain.”

“Don’t be late.” the Captain said spreading his mechanical wings and took off back towards the academy.

Just as the sun set, White Knight entered the main building of the Canterlot Military Academy. His Sergeant told him that The Captain’s office was the last door at the end of the hall on the right after he climbs the stairs. On his way up, he heard a familiar voice shouting. As he walked down the hall he heard the mare’s voice again.

“I! GIVE! UP!”

‘Hestaria?’

The door at the end of the hall flew open as a very distraught looking Hestaria sprinting down the hall. She didn’t even bother moving to avoid White Knight. She plowed head long into him, knocking him over in the process.

“Stari, wait up!”

“Private Knight!” The Captain shouted at him.

White Knight turned to see The Captain putting on his hat. “I want you outside my office when I get back or you’re out of here!”

The Captain didn’t waste any time with sending an intimidating glare his way for good measure on his way out. White Knight wasn’t sure if he should follow that order. True, he was completely and utterly terrified of The Captain, bet he knew what happened to ponies that were called to their CO’s office. The boot. White Knight thought that if he was getting booted, he might as well go without The Captain saying a word. He spent half an hour thinking about it; long enough for The Captain to return. He had a slash across his chest and a glint of metal beneath his shirt caught Knight’s eye.

“Come with me.” He said entering his office.

White Knight took a deep breath and marched into The Captain’s office. He was silent as The Captain made his way behind his desk and slid a file out from under another with his horn.

“Private Knight has shown a dedication to his training as well as a willingness to help anypony that needs it. He’s exactly what we’re looking for.” The Captain read. “That’s what your file says. Now from what I saw today I don’t think that’s quite accurate.”

“Captain, my flight lead told me to drop munitions on a comrade. No matter what I couldn’t let that happen.”

“And why’s that Private?”

“Because she’s been through enough. I didn’t want her to feel like her only friend here would put her life on the line just for the sake of orders, Sir.”

“I know the feeling Private. But that does not excuse going AWOL in the middle of a mission.”

“Yes, Captain, but I wasn’t going to fire on my friend under any circumstances, Sir.” White Knight said sternly waiting for the words he did not want to hear.

“Well then, in that case Corporal, you and I are going to have a long few weeks ahead of us.”

“Wait, what?”

“I want to see you in the Lunar Building at 0300 tomorrow. Get some sleep and ready.”

White Knight was stunned at what he had just heard. Was he being held back and forced to go through training all over again? He’d heard about that happening rarely but was disobeying an order really worth repeating another two months of basic? And had he just called him Corporal?

“Corporal Knight.” The Captain said waving his hoof in his face.

“Y-yes, Sir?”

“Are you okay?”

“F-fine, Sir. Um, did you call me corporal?”

“Yes. Now if that’s the only question you have that involves a yes or no answer I would suggest you head back to the barracks before curfew. As you were.”

White Knight left The Captain’s office and walked out of the main building with a stunned look on his face. He didn’t speak to his roommate when he arrived back at the barracks, he went straight to bed still wearing his armor.

Author's Notes:

Nexus: When did you condone half assness? Aren't we the same person?
Me: We are. But like I said, once the second act comes around, it'll get ALOT better. So Just be patient Nex.
Nexus: So you're just going to copy and paste?
Me: It's faster than typing. once the second act comes around it'll take me longer to make it happen. So don't get your wires in a twist.