After being directed by Firestorm, who had explicitly instructed the recruits to always address him as Sir or Sergeant, the recruits were all getting ready for training by putting on some training gear provided by Midnight, Twilight and Sunburst. The gear would magically transition to fit the wearer, regardless of size or species.

"Good work on that gear, you two," complimented Midnight to his wife and apprentice, "it'll serve the cadets well in the coming weeks."

"Well, Sunburst is the one who suggested the Protean Adaptation Alteration spell," brought up Twilight, giving the unicorn a smile, which made Sunburst blush.

"Yeah, but you're the one who did all the enchanting, Twilight," Sunburst sighed, "I'm still having trouble with advanced spells, it's so frustrating!"

"Keep your chin up, Sunburst," assured Twilight, "your magic is getting stronger, thanks to all your training and study under Midnight. Before you know it, you'll be the wizard you were always meant to be!"

"And every wizard has a wizardly hat," suggested Midnight with a teasing smirk, "though... I don't think you could pull off bells, like Star Swirl. Perhaps a smoking cap would fit you better."

"Hmm," Sunburst had seen smoking caps before and they honestly had a wizardly appeal to them.

"Excuse me, Midnight, Twilight?" The three of them turned to see Button Mash (strangely lacking his signature propeller cap), wearing his saddlebags around his barrel, and holding up an applicant form fully signed out!
"I wanna join the Harmony Guard!"

"Uh..." Midnight found himself oddly speechless, a colt was asking to train to be a guard?

Sunburst took the form and looked it over. The hoofwriting was a tad sloppy, but he was surprised how it was completely filled out, "Wow, uh... you seem serious, little guy."

"Uh- Button Mash, heheh," Twilight knew she had to handle this delicately, "I appreciate your bravery, but this isn't-"

But she was interrupted by her husband, who'd placed a forefeather to her lips and then looked to Button, "Young colt... why do you want to join the Harmony Guard?"

All three adults were giving him their undivided attention, which made Button nervously gulp. But he took a deep breath, furrowed his brows, and explained.
"I want to follow in my big brother Cheat Code's hoofsteps. When I was really little, he was always there for me. He taught me a lot of stuff, played with me, always helped me feel better when I was sad... and I was really sad when he signed up to join the EUP once he was old enough. I said some awful things to him and didn't speak to him for a long while. My mom and dad were upset too, but they were supportive.

"The first letter Cheat Code sent us while he was away for basic training, I didn't even wanna read it. But Mom finally talked to me about how I was actually hurting Cheat Code's feelings! She told me how hard Cheat Code was working, what he was working towards, and the reasons he wanted to be a guard in the EUP was because he wanted to protect us! I felt like a brat after she was done, and I wrote Cheat Code back.

"Cheat Code always wrote back no matter what," Button Mash forced himself not to cry even though the memories were bringing tears into his eyes, "he'd tell me my letters always gave him courage and inspa... inspa..."

Button Mash stalled so Twilight helped, "Inspiration?"

"Yeah! That's it, he always said my letters gave him inspiration!" Button Mash smiled affirmatively as one tear escaped and trailed down his cheek, "When he came home after graduating the top of his class, he was soooo happy! Mom and Dad were so proud, and... I told Cheat Code that he was my hero...!"

Button couldn't hold the tears back anymore and began to cry, which made the prince, princess, and knight all look sadly at the colt sympathetically, Twilight stepping over to give Button a little hug and conjured a hoofkerchief for him to wipe his tears and blow his nose, which he did, making a cute little toot sound.

"Thank you..." Button calmed down and gathered himself, "When I told him that... Cheat Code told me that I was his hero! I was so surprised, especially after he gave me this."

Button reached into his right saddlebag and pulled out what appeared to be a badge that resembled a star around a castle tower similar to a rook chess piece, "It was his graduation gift, the Rookie of the Year Badge! He told me he got it for being the most dedicated recruit, for working the hardest, and always remembering to do what's right.

"He asked me to hang onto it for him, so I could bestow it upon him for a successful career as an officer in the EUP once he retired... but then..."

Button Mash refused to let himself cry again as he steadied himself and took a deep breath, "I'll never get to give Cheat Code his badge back... but I'd like to be worthy of it myself. Cheat Code did so much, gave up so much, to be a guard, to protect his fellow pony, and even though there were times I was angry at him for it, I was always proud to call him my big brother. I wanna follow his example and become a guard he would be proud of.

"So please, Twilight, Midnight, Sunburst!"

Button Mash got down, touching his forehead to the ground, surprising them, "Let me join! Let me train to become a part of the Harmony Guard! Please!"

Midnight, Twilight, and Sunburst shared a conflicted look, the three of them having been so deeply moved by Button's story and his motivations. But...

"I say, let him try." The alicorns, unicorn, and earth pony colt looked to see Firestorm coming their way as he gave Button an interested look.

"But he's just a young colt!" protested Twilight, surprised by Firestorm's suggestion and glaring at him for it.

"If I could have a word, Your Majesty," requested the old soldier, looking at Midnight before using his eyes to gesture off to the side. Midnight nodded, gave his wife a 'wait a moment' gesture and walked away with Firestorm so they stood a distance away to speak privately.
"I would like to train the colt, Midnight."

"If he was two or three years older I would agree, Firestorm," Midnight furrowed his brows, "but this young colt is still in primary school! Look, I sympathize with Button and I understand his reasons, but how can you possibly think this is a good idea?"

"Because like that brave little colt, we too have felt the pain of loss," responded Firestorm with a heavy heart.

Midnight's expression didn't change though his ears did droop in response to the older stallion's words as Firestorm went on, "Loss like that stays with you, especially at a young age, and you can't say that you don't see that in his eyes."

Midnight looked back towards Button Mash as Sunburst and Twilight were talking to the colt, more than likely trying to get him to change his mind without outright saying no and hurting his feelings. Button however continued to appear adamant and it was becoming increasingly clear that he would not be dissuaded.

Sighing heavily, Midnight said, "Somehow you always seem to be right, old soldier..."

"It's a gift. Or a curse, depends on how you look at it," Firestorm shrugged before getting serious, "Look, I give you my word, as a soldier. I won't push him any harder than I think he can handle, and I'll make sure he is safe. I can't promise he won't get a few bumps or scrapes, but if he comes to real harm, I'll forfeit the entire wealth of my House and forsake my family name."

Midnight was honestly surprised by Firestorm's words. In all of Equestrian history, there'd only been two or three nobles who'd done exactly what Firestorm was promising. Over the centuries, nobility became less about integrity and more about wealth and prestige, and it was harder and harder to meet true nobles, the kind of which who stood for something worthwhile and lived with honor.

"Why does this mean so much to you?" asked Midnight. "I can understand you sympathizing with him, but what is it about Button Mash that motivates you to go this far for his sake?"

The look the old stallion gave the alicorn told volumes of one's life. As much as he hated the aspect of it, Firestorm knew of the dangers of being a soldier and had seen it first hoof. Even going as far as giving his own hoof to it, but the one thing that always stayed with him was those he lost in the line of duty. The stallion held up his prosthetic hoof and opened a small plate to the inner workings of the leg. That's where Midnight saw it, a list of names, and right there at the bottom was the one name that said it all.

Cheat Code.

"I don't often take an apprentice, because when I lose them it hurts the most and if I can help the families of my brothers in arms in any way... All I ask, Midnight, is your trust and your faith in me that I watch over him closely and I won't let him get seriously harmed under my watch," promised Firestorm as he closed the plate.

Midnight looked upon the old warhorse with understanding. He was already familiar with Firestorm's charities for the families of soldiers that had fallen in the line of duty back when he was Duke of Defense and Security. Not only that, Firestorm volunteered as a guidance counselor for ponies suffering PTSD, whether they had been soldiers or not. Midnight deeply respected Firestorm, almost as much as his own father had respected the older stallion many years ago.

Taking a deep breath, Midnight conceded, "Alright, he can try. But you're going to have to speak with his mother about this and if she says no then that's that."

"Understood, now if you'll excuse me I gotta go whip some pansies into shape," Firestorm said as he started walking towards the recruits, all wearing their training gear and looking entirely too excited for the misery he planned to put them all through.
"Send the colt to me after you speak with him."

Midnight chuckled in amusement and anxiety as he didn't relish the idea of having to explain this to his wife once they were alone, Not looking forward to that conversation...

Since it was only the first day of training and because there was very little training equipment (these begin a few training dummies and training weapons), Firestorm went old school and simply had the recruits do laps, push-ups, and other basic exercises throughout the day. He made a point of declaring Button Mash a junior recruit and not to question why a colt was participating in their training. The way the recruits had looked to be on the verge of wetting themselves had satisfied Firestorm's assumption that he'd gotten his point across.

He told them further that Button would be treated like any other recruit and receive no special treatment, and as such they were expected to treat him as a fellow recruit and not a child, which meant no help other than encouragement.

Indeed, Button proved himself to be a tenacious young colt but it became very obvious very quickly that he couldn't keep up with the other recruits. He could barely do ten push-ups, he couldn't keep up when they did laps (in fact he got lapped more than once by most of the others), there weren't any training weapons small enough for him to handle, and he wasn't big enough to spar safely with anyone. He was, after all, still just a foal.

Meanwhile, the other recruits were working hard though some tripped while running laps, got distracted by something or other, and others (particularly the ones with no prior guard training) had any combat experience at all. More than once a scrap almost started from arguments between them, only to get broken up by Firestorm who told them to stow that crap or else.

It was late into the afternoon when finally Firestorm said, "Alright, you wimps are done for today!"

So many of the recruits either flopped onto their bellies, dropped over onto their backs, and took a relieved sit down, each and every one of them exhausted. Only a few continued to stand though even they panted like the rest as Firestorm announced, "I expect each and every one of you to be bright-eyed and bushy tailed back here by noon tomorrow. Because we have a long hike in front of us and I for one love the crisp morning air."

The sounds of groans and come-ons were music to Firestorm's ears as he looked over to Button Mash, seeing the colt was lying on his back, his tongue hanging out as he panted in exhaustion, too tired to complain about Firestorm's announced hike for tomorrow. Firestorm had to admit it to himself that the colt had promise.

For the entire five hours he'd trained the recruits, Button Mash had done his best even though it was painfully obvious he couldn't compare to or keep up with the adult trainees. Even so, Button hadn't complained or asked for easy treatment, which impressed the old soldier. He could see the colt had his brother's tenacity in him, truly.

Stepping over to the tired colt, Firestorm suggested, "Why don't I give you a lift home, kid? Mind showing me the way?"

After he knock-knock-knocked on the front door, Firestorm stepped back and gently levitated Button off of his back and set him on the ground beside him only a moment before the door opened, revealing Love Tap, Button's mother.

"Button, sweetie, wha... Um, is something wrong, sir? Did my son do any-" Firestorm lifted his prosthetic hoof.

"Your boy's not in trouble, ma'am," he assured, "I just helped the boy home after... well, would it be permissible, miss, for me to have a word with you?"

"Um... I suppose," Love Tap gestured Button and Firestorm in, "Button, why don't you go take a bath, dear, while I talk to this.... gentlecolt."

"Okay, Mom," Button replied, sounding tired as he gave his mom a quick hug before going upstairs.

"Thank you for that," Firestorm said before suggesting, "May we sit down and talk?"

"Y-yes, in here," Love Tap led Firestorm into the living room and invited him to sit wherever he liked.

The old unicorn made himself comfortable in the easy chair that belonged to Love Tap's husband, who was away yet again for work. Love Tap offered, "Could I get you something to drink, mister...?"

"Firestorm, and an ice water would be nice, thank you," Firestorm replied gratefully.

Love Tap prepared some glasses of ice water with lemon wedges and once Firestorm had taken a refreshing swig, he waited until he could hear the shower running upstairs before he cleared his throat, "Now, let's stop beating around the bush, miss, and get to why I'm here... In case you are not aware, the local prince and princess have begun formalizing their own personal guard, the Harmony Guard, and have requested me to train the applicants."

"What does that have to do with my son?" asked Love Tap warily.

"Your son has applied to join," Firestorm responded bluntly, which caused Love Tap to tense up in disbelief. "Now, let me just say-"

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!" Love Tap screamed at the top of her lungs as she stood up.

"Ma'am, please! You don't want your son to hear you like this," Firestorm said in a calm manner.

"Don't you talk to me about my son, you... You-" Love Tap suddenly found her lips sealing themselves shut, accompanied by what sounded like a zipper, and she realized, much to her outrage, that Firestorm had used the zip-it spell on her (she'd seen it before), and her muffled yells communicated to Firestorm that she was not amused.

"Ma'am, with all due respect," Firestorm said with just a subtle hint of authority, "I wish to discuss the situation with you and I would like to discuss it in a calm and reasonable manner where we both speak and express our thoughts and make our points and come to a mutual understanding."

The incensed look of contempt Love Tap was giving him caused Firestorm to sigh before he spoke again, "Love Tap... I trained Cheat Code."

The mare's eyes widened a little with surprise and Firestorm went on, "When he first started in basic training, he was hopeless. Kept tripping, stumbling, fumbling, a lot of his fellow recruits derided him... but you know what, he never complained. He never asked for special treatment. He just kept picking himself up and he kept moving forward. Before I knew it, he was the one leaving the rest in the dirt.

"Cheat Code gave it his all and then some. He conducted himself with honor and dignity. He was respectful but at the same time he had a mouth on him, very witty. It helped him cheer up some of his fellow recruits when they were feeling down, doubting themselves, or even considering dropping out. He inspired them to follow in his example, to not give up, to give it their all. It was my honor and privilege to award him the Rookie of the Year badge when he graduated valedictorian of his class."

The look of sadness coming over Love Tap relieved Firestorm as he could see he was getting somewhere and so he undid the zip-it spell. It was a long moment before Love Tap took a deep breath.

"My oldest son... died," Love Tap uttered, shutting her eyes in pain, "he died far from home, in a dark place, and for what? Protecting a government interest? I know that the mine for which he was assigned to oversee security was supposed to be classified, but that didn't prevent what should have been a safe assignment. And now you're telling me my little colt wants to put his own life on the line for-for... duty?! Honor?! Crown and country?! I will not allow it."

The adamant look of a mother protecting her child was one that Firestorm both respected and feared, but he knew that this mare needed to hear what he was about to say.

"Love Tap... there is nothing I can do or say to make you feel better about what happened to Cheat Code. Not many ponies who join the guard catch my interest and even fewer do I take an interest in training personally," Firestorm spoke solemnly, "Cheat Code? ...He was the sort of recruit that doesn't come along very often. He didn't start out gracefully, but by Goddess he became among the finest Guards I ever trained.

"When I learned what happened to him, I felt like I too had lost a son. I thought Cheat Code was gonna go further - Much further - in proving himself, rising through the ranks. Hell, I even thought I would be calling him 'sir', one day. I've only called three ponies that I trained 'sir' or 'ma'am' in my entire career in the EUP. I sincerely wish Cheat Code would have been the fourth."

"You're not going to change my mind," Love Tap maintained her adamant look.

"If you'd heard what Button Mash had said when he approached Prince Midnight and Princess Twilight today," Firestorm brought up, "I think you would have been proud. Truly, ma'am, I don't think I've ever been so moved and impressed by the words of a colt as I was today.

"Button Mash intends to follow in his brother's hoofsteps and I don't think anything is going to stop him."

"He's just a colt!"

"A colt who had the brass balls to walk right up to alicorn royalty and volunteer himself to train to become a guard so as to protect crown and country!" Firestorm raised his voice just so, not in a scolding manner but to emphasize his point.
"He talked about the shame he once felt about being angry with his brother and being so humbled to learn that he was the source of his brother's motivation to soldier on through training and then call that little colt his hero. Then he showed the prince and princess his brother's badge, the Rookie of the Year badge I myself bestowed upon Cheat Code, and how his brother asked him to hold onto it for him.

"Button had hoped to give it back to Cheat Code once he'd retired from the military. That's never gonna happen... and then Button said that if he can't give it back to his brother, he wants to be worthy of it himself! He pressed his forehead to the ground and begged the prince and princess to give him a chance!"

Love Tap's composure began to crack as tears were running down her cheeks as she whispered, "He's my colt, sir! My baby... When that guard showed up that evening and told me what had happened to my firstborn, I was shattered. I can't bear to lose my remaining foal."

"I understand that, ma'am, more than you realize," Firestorm sighed deeply and Love Tap recognized the pain in his voice and knew that he meant it. "You're not the only one who's lost a son in the line of duty... but the truth is, you can't stop Button from doing what he's set his heart on doing. You can only make sure he is prepared. Even if I respect your wishes and tell him he can't continue training, he's not going to give up!

"He's going to do whatever he has to in order to prove himself. He just might wind up doing something... reckless."

Sighing into her hoof before giving Firestorm an almost challenging look, Love Tap both asked and demanded, "Then what do you propose I do? Let him go through with this-this... nonsense that a colt can train and become a guard? At his age?!"

"Let me train him," Firestorm requested, "and I promise I will never let him do anything I know he isn't capable of or shouldn't be doing. I will never push him any harder than what he can handle. He most certainly won't join the Harmony Guard at his age, but it will give him confidence, focus, a means of helping him move on from the mourning for his brother he is still feeling."

Love Tap felt her heart hurt from that last sentence but Firestorm kept going, "Button Mash has more of his brother in him than you think, ma'am. Cheat Code used to tell me about him. Button was always engrossed in his video games, right? Reluctant to get out there, participate in life, bit of a momma's colt. I don't mean to sound offensive, I'm merely repeating what Cheat Code told me.

"Button Mash uses video games to escape his troubles, or am I wrong?"

Love Tap wanted to say otherwise, but her silence and looking away indicated Firestorm was spot on.
"But only this time the escape he years for follows him no matter how much he tries to ignore it. So instead of escaping it, he's being a stallion and embracing it! He's taking inspiration from his brother's memory and using it to motivate him. Honestly, ma'am... you should be proud."

The way the old soldier had worded it, said it, it did make Love Tap proud. It swelled her heart with pride, joy, and pain all at once it was almost suffocating and only by letting the tears flow could she ease it as she struggled not to break down, when she noticed a tissue levitating towards her and she saw the look of understanding on Firestorm's face.

Accepting it, she uttered "Thank you..." and wiped her face blew her nose. Firestorm took the tissue back, bunched it up in his mana, and threw it into a nearby wastebasket in the corner of the living room.

For a long time, neither of them said anything and Firestorm didn't press her. He knew she had to think on this for herself, having said his piece. So now it was time for Love Tap to say hers as she finally took a deep breath.

"...The day Cheat Code signed up for basic training in the EUP," she began, "I was proud and afraid at the same time. He said he was motivated, excited, determined to make something of himself. But I could see it in his eyes. Mothers know these things, after all. Cheat Code was nervous, like... was he making a mistake?

The first time he sent a letter home, he wrote that he was working hard, training was going well. But I could just feel it... he was doubting himself, afraid of failing, letting everyone down. When I began to write a response, I asked Button if he would write something nice to his brother but he... well, let's just say what Button said was unacceptable and I set him straight."

Love Tap looked out the window, but Firestorm could see she wasn't looking outside or at anything in particular. She was looking back.

"Button felt bad but he still didn't write anything. But when I was going to send the letter, he suddenly ran up to me and begged me to let him write something after all. To this day... I still don't know what he wrote in that letter, because the minute he was done, he mailed it himself! The next letter we got from Cheat Code, I could tell immediately from his words. He was doing great! His words were confident, determined, maybe just a little cocky, heh... I asked Button what he wrote to his brother and you know what that little colt said to me?"

She looked at Firestorm, smiling sadly yet proudly, "He said... 'I just told him what i thought he should know'. Then he smiled, said 'I love you' and then he ran off to play. That was five years ago."

"Children so very often turn out to be so much smarter and wiser than we grownups give them credit for," Firestorm replied with a smile, Love Tap nodding in agreement. "Love Tap... I've lost friends, fellow soldiers, and innocents who died because I wasn't fast enough, strong enough or smart enough to... My point is, those who join the military and all branches of it, they join with the understanding... that they are, at some point, going to put their lives on the line. Cheat Code understood that and he joined anyway. He was a good soldier, a recognized officer, but most importantly, he was a son, a brother. A friend. I miss him, very-very much. And I wish to honor his memory by honoring the determination of his brave little brother and seeing that colt go the distance his brother didn't get to.

Button Mash is Cheat Code's legacy, and I could see it in that little colt's eyes."

Love Tap looked Firestorm in the eye as the old soldier smiled as he declared, "He has it in him... to become a Legend!"

The mother felt her heart waver, butterflies in her stomach, a sense of... excitement? It surprised her, for she was starting to believe as well. Taking another deep breath, she asked, "You'll watch over him?"

Firestorm stood up, knelt down, and bowed his head as he swore, "With my life."

This was difficult to do because of the emotion in it. I killed Button Mash's big brother Cheat Code in my story and knew Button deciding to follow in his brother's hoofsteps would be very difficult for his mother Love Tap to accept

DFatman's character, Firestorm, had to walk a precarious line in order to convince Love Tap to entrust him with her foal's well-being by making an impression into her regarding Button and her late son Cheat Code, a line I felt I had to make absolutely apparent and to me it felt precarious as I wanted to write it in a way that felt right without leaning one way or another towards a way that would ruin it