Chapter 5: Unofficial Musketeers

Our heroes work at their job sadly inside the laundry room. Spike and Pinkamena was scrubbing an uniform together with Ben rolling them. Pinkie, Fluttershy and Goldie Heart were ironing the clothes together. The last two were doing good, Pinkie...well, not so good.

Pinkamena's senses are lighting off. She says to Golden Heart, "Um Goldie? My senses are going off. I think Boris is planning something evil."

"You sure?" Golden Heart asks his sister in concern.

"Have my senses ever been wrong?"

"Good point but we best wait."

She nods. Pinkie sighs, saying, "Thanks for trying to help me and Pinkamena, ponies."

"Well, that's what friends are for, of course." Fluttershy said with a gentle smile.

"Hey, come on. Forget what Boris just said." Spike said with a smile as he put his arm around Ben. "Just cheer up! I am sure that there's still a chance that we can be musketeers?"

"Wait, we can?" Pinkamena ask Spike hopefully.

"Even after what Boris just said to us?" Fluttershy ask Spike in concern. "Well, you friends. Only Angel and I are supporting, we aren't the right kind to be musketeers."

"Hey Ben; I know we can prove the captain wrong as long as we work hard and stick together." Spike said to Ben with a smile. The others look at one another then look back at the baby Dragon hopefully. Despite having his feelings and dreams hurt earlier, Spike seems confident.

"So wait, you really mean it?" Ben asks Spike hopefully.

"Absolutely; ha ha ha; come on, have I ever let you down? Have I? Huh? Have I?"

Spike rubs Ben's head, making him laugh. Golden Heart chuckles, saying, "Looks like you're onto to something Spike."

"Yeah, I'm sure of it." Spike said, tipping his hat proudly. "Come on, think of it. Sure we won't be musketeers tomorrow and maybe not the other day! But I betcha someday, Boris will come here and say..."

As if on cue, the door to the room busts open. Boris, grinning, came in while exclaiming, "Congratulations, colts and fillies!"

"What?" The heroes ask confused as Boris shakes Spike's claw. Not too long ago, their captain just insulted them and said that he wouldn't make them musketeers if they were the last recruits in Equestria. Now suddenly, Boris is congratulating them! This makes Pinkamena, Golden Heart and Pinkamena suspicious.

"You all passed the test! I've kept an eye on all of you especially the newcomers. Granted, I was worried that you wouldn't make it but now I know you all deserve to be musketeers!"

"Wait, us?" Golden Heart ask Boris surprised yet suspiciously.

"Something rotten is going on." Pinkamena remarks quietly, making Gold Wing screech in agreement. Her senses were never wrong and they aren't now!

"So wait, you really mean it?" Spike asks Boris hopefully.

"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" Boris insists, doing the Pinkie Promise to the good guys...though he held one hoof behind his back as if crossing his fingers (when the pony didn't have any). "I wouldn't break a Pinkie Promise because that would be bad luck."

"Yep! He's right!" Pinkie exclaims happily. But then the pink pony looks puzzled. "Wait, what about what you said earlier, especially not wanting us if we were the last recruits or something?"

"Just testing ya; Come on, would I insult my best new recruits?"

"Hmmm, make sense to me!"

"Well, what do you know?" Fluttershy ask her friends happily. Her friends finally made it, they are now musketeers (unofficially, unknown to Spike and his pals).

"Guys and girl, we're going to be musketeers!" Spike exclaims eagerly to his friends. He knew that this day would finally come!

"Musketeers," Ben ask Spike right back with a grin. All that training and hard work has paid off after all!

Of course, Pinkamena and Golden Heart remain suspicious.

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Boris brought the new 'musketeers' to wardrobe where they are given new clothes to wear; All but Fluttershy, Gold Wing and Angel who are watching as they put on new clothes. It took a while but Spike, Ben Pinkie, Golden Heart and Pinkamen are now wearing the official clothes of sorts of the musketeers themselves.

"So whatcha think, Goldie?" Pinkamena ask her big brother with a smile. "Do I look like a musketeer?"

"More like a regular female Robin." Golden Heart laughs to his sister, making her giggle a bit.

"Your clothes look...nice." Fluttershy said happily with Angel nodding a bit, signaling his own approval.

A bit later, the new 'musketeers' arrive at a stage area where the official ones were saluting to them. The heroes grin. They made it (or so the heroes thought), they themselves are finally musketeers!

"See? I knew we got what it takes!" Spike exclaims to his friends proudly.

"Because we're clever," Ben answers back with a nod.

"And brave too!" Pinkie exclaims, bouncing up and down in delight.

"And together, we will be the greatest heroes that Equestria has ever seen!" Golden Heart remarks with a proud smile to his friends.

"So what do you ponies say?" Spike asks, taking his blade out eagerly. "All for one..."

"And two for tea," Pinkie exclaims as she took her sword out. Of course, the mare didn't realize that she almost sliced Ben, scaring him to the point of hiding behind Pinkamena. Spike chuckles nervously at this.

"Hoo boy," Boris remarks, rolling his eyes at this. This is too easy for him.

"Well, we will work on that later." Spike remarks with a chuckle while rubbing the back of his own head. The heroes just need to practice some more, that's all.

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Boris has given the assignment to the 'new musketeers': keep Princess Rarity safe at all times. The captain is in the hallway to the throne room, marching the group down with Fluttershy, Gold Wing and Angel at the end. The bunny is holding a musketeer flag with both hands.

"Hut, 2, 3, 4; Hut, 2, 3, 4; Hut, 2, 3, 4; Hut, 2, 3, 4! Company...halt!" Boris orders a bit before stopping. Unfortunately, most of the new recruits didn't hear the last part. As Golden Heart stops, Spike, Ben, Pinkie and Pinkamena just crash into one another. The villain glares while saying, "Okay, wait here while I get the princess ready for you."

Boris heads into the throne room to inform Rarity that her new musketeers had arrived. Pinkamena: pauses then spoke to Golden Heart, "You know what bugs me?"

"What?" Golden Heart asks Pinkamena though he knew what the question is.

"There are lots of brave musketeers out there who've be good body guards to the princess but Boris picks the gang. I think something is off"

"It's ok. Besides bad for Boris, he does not know about our skills."

Pinkamena grins as she adds, "Right, big mistake from him but let's keep up the act till the time is right."

He nods as Gold Wing nods as well. Spike, grinning, spoke to the others, "Okay, this is it, guys and gals. We have been waiting for this our whole lives. Once these doors open up, we will go to make our first impressions."

"Ooh, I hope they got cupcakes." Pinkamena remarks creepily, making her friends a bit worried. "Not like that!"

"Just remember, everyone. We are on duty so this place could be crawling with bad guys."

"B-b-b-bad guys," Fluttershy ask, getting a bit frightened.

"Try to stay alert." Golden Heart said, patting Fluttershy on the back to calm him down. "That goes for you too, Pinkie."

"Aye-aye, Goldie!" Pinkie exclaims, saluting Golden Heart eagerly and in determination. She however turns and saw the knight statue, freaking her out, "EEEK! OH NO! BAD GUY," The pink mare saw the sharp axe. "No!"

Pinkie looks around and saw the back end of the armor's rear, exclaiming, "Whoa!"

Pinkie quickly went crazy, charging and attacking the statue, much to the alarm of the others. Ben exclaims, "Whoa, Pinkie! Wait, stop!"

Pinkie kept on hitting the statue until it fell to the ground, falling to pieces. The pink pony appears to be missing while her friends groan in annoyance. Surprisingly, Pinkie came out of the armors, seeing their glares before she chuckles nervously.

"Oopsie; Sorry, it pulled an axe on me." Pinkie said sheepishly to her friends.

"You're random like me!" Pinkamena exclaims to Pinkie making Gold Wind chuckle a bit. How funny because it's true.

In the throne room, Boris bows to the princess and Twilight (but mostly Twilight) smiling while saying, "Your royal highness...and my beloved Twilight..."

"Hey, Rarity is the princess here, Boris, not me!" Twilight snaps to Boris with a scowl. "Just keep to the focus."

"Right; I have never ever had a more highly skilled group of gentlecolts and mares that I present to you today."

"Hoo boy; this will take a while, Rarity. I will be back with a light snack, okay?"

"Sure, you go do that, Twilight." Rarity said bored. Twilight leaves, making the princess sighs. Why must she endure this while her lady in-waiting goes and get some food for herself?

"To be honest, it took my highly trained eye to see their true potential." Boris said to Rarity proudly. Of course, he is exaggerating a bit to keep her guessing.

"Right, sure. I know all of Equestria will thank you...and your eye so much. Now, may I see them?"

"Of course; without further ado, I present for you’re safely and protecting...your own musketeers!"

Boris opens the door to present the musketeers. To his and Rarity's notice, Spike and his friends are trying to fix the statue that Pinkie broke into pieces before in hopes to avoid trouble. But then they saw Boris frowning and signaling them, causing the new heroes to salute to Rarity quickly.

Just then the suit pieces fell to the ground, revealing Spike who is saluting. And then it happened: Rarity's eyes widened, her jaw dropped slightly while staring at the Dragon who dropped his salute, noticing Rarity before them.

Something happens that never occurred in the two's lives before now: could this be...love?

Dream Sequence

Rarity was giving a dreaming look as she stood in a world of various clouds of various clouds. Romantic music plays as she gallops to Spike who runs up to her slowly. As the two does so, memories of her words are heard...

"Why, just see it. He will stride into the room." Rarity's voice is heard as the mare smiles at her true love lovingly. Spike run into the room gallantly as some light glows onto him, much to his notice. "A light will glow from him. I will hear music."

Soon flowers came out of Spike's left claw as he glides towards Rarity.

"He will bring me flowers." Rarity's voice continues. The two flew to each other as the flowers turn into purple butterflies. Spike took Rarity by one hoof, the two stares with love into each other's eyes. "He will sweep me off my feet...and I know that he will be the one when he makes me laugh..."

"Your majesty," A familiar voice spoke up. To Rarity's confusion, Spike's head turned into Twilight's who spoke, "Time to cut the cheese!"

End Dream Sequence

The music came to a half as Rarity woke up from her daydream, asking in surprise and confusion, "Huh? What?"

Twilight smiles, arriving with a plate and opens a lid, showing some cheese and a butter knife. She spoke, "Here we go. Anyone want some Roquefort?"

"She got a knife!" Ben calls out in shock and alarm. To her, Twilight got a knife and is about to attack Rarity with it!

"Bad guy, very bad guy," Pinkamena exclaims frantically much to Twilight's notice and alarm.

"Get her!" Spike yells out as he and the others, but a groaning Golden Heart, jumps right at Twilight, preparing to seize her.

"Oh horse feathers." Twilight groans as Spike, Ben, Pinkie and Pinkamena jumps at her, holding the Alicorn down. "Ouch, het let go! Get off me!"

"Hey, unhand her, release my lady in-waiting!" Rarity calls out to the musketeers in alarm. The others stop fighting as they held Twilight upside down, much to her annoyance and Boris's anger.

"Hey, put my mare down!" Boris exclaims angrily to the musketeers.

"I am not yours, put me down!" Twilight demands to the ones holding her in annoyance. These are Rarity's new bodyguards; Boy, is she in trouble!

"Yes, please drop her!" Rarity demands with a frown. The musketeers dropped Twilight with Ben giving a nervous chuckle. "That's my lady in-waiting."

Angel slaps his own forehead in embarrassment. Fluttershy said sheepishly, "Oh dear. This is bad. Oh, we're so sorry, your highness."

Boris couldn't help but snicker in amusement. Yeah, despite the fact that Twilight was almost harmed by his so-called new recruits, it amuses him that the 'new musketeers' are messing things up already!

Of course, Rarity and Golden Heart glares at Boris, making him stop snickering. Golden Heart ask the villain suspiciously, "You find this funny, Boris the Animal?"

"Just Boris," Boris snaps to Golden Heart then pushes the Alicorn to the others. Turning to Rarity, he spoke, "Please forgive them, your highness. They are like a well-oiled machine...that is a little bit too tight."

"Yeah, sorry, Rarity," Spike said, feeling bad for him and most of his pals attacking Twilight like that. "We thought she was a bad guy at first."

The heroes help Twilight up. Ben smiles sheepishly to the purple Alicorn while shrugging. Wow, she looks pretty for someone that he and his pals mistook for a bad guy easily.

"Sorry about that, Twilight. I panic too easily." Ben said to Twilight, smiling happily to her for some reason. "You look cute, beautiful...and nice and...wow; I guess I couldn't describe how wonderful you are and..."

Twilight sighs, interrupting Ben to speak, "Don't get me wrong, Ben. I do admit that you are kind of cute. It's just that royalty and nobility don't mix with commoners. It's just the way things are."

"Oh."

"Well, I feel safer as it is." Rarity said with a pleased look. Despite the misunderstanding (and Boris's angry look at Ben smiling at Twilight), she felt safer enough as it is.

Author's note
Well, this is a bit 'interesting'. In the next chapter, Boris sends the Diamond Dogs to attack the heroes as they are transporting Rarity and Twilight throughout the countryside. Can they keep the two safe; or not? Read, review and suggest.