It had been a few days since the battle in the arena between Midnight and the captains of the royal guard. Over the next few days Midnight had been arranging a bootcamp for the first set of troops. The camp was very similar to his home world bootcamp he had lived in during his training. A barracks and multiple beds for each of the guard. This along with a vast training area filled with obstacles and various tracks to sharpen each of the ponies skills. The camp had been made just outside of Ponyville in a field near Sweet Apple Acres. The apple family had volunteered the field as it was no longer fertile land and no plant life other than some dieing grass was growing there. The first set of ponies had arrived in the camp later the previous day. They had all gotten to bed in a timely manner within the barracks as they knew from what had been told to them by their captains that this new training regime was going to be intense and far more difficult than the regime they had first gone through.

All through the barracks each pony was silently sleeping as the night passed slowly by them. Each of the guard content, curled up in their blankets as they lay in silence. The light of the sun could bee seen on the horizon as it was just below it. Ready to breach at any moment.

*SNAP*

In a blinding flash with the crack of a whip Midnight appeared in the middle of the barracks as he began to bellow out in the royal whee.

"EVERYPONY AT ATTENTION! NOW NOW NOW UP UP UP. GET YOUR LAZY FLANKS OUT OF BED NOW BEFORE I START TO STOMP A MUD HOLE IN EACH OF YOUR FLANKS!" He began shouting as soon as he appeared. Many of the ponies screaming out or falling out of bed from being startled. Others stood up in shock as they began to jump from bed within a few seconds, standing at attention at the foot of their beds. Midnight began to walk down the isle as they all began to finally wake up. He kept shouting at them until he reached a single bed where one pony was still covered in his blanket, asleep and oblivious to the world.

"GET YOUR ASS OUT OF BED THIS INSTANT PRIVATE!" He shouted causing the blanket to ripple over the sleeping pony as he still lay there completely asleep.

"SIR!" A pony spoke up that was standing at attention the next bed over. Midnight turned to the private giving him a questionable scowl. "He wears ear plugs while he sleeps sir."

Midnight gave a growl as he spoke out in the royal whee his horn starting to glow just before speaking. "I would advise everypony to cover their ears very well, that is, unless you want to be deaf."

At that moment Midnight was taking in a deep breath as the magic from his horn enveloped his throat and mouth, the earplugs being quickly pulled out of the sleeping ponies ears. Every pony within the barracks quick took cover onto their beds pulling pillows and blankets over their heads.

Outside the barracks Shining armor and Whip Lash were walking by when the windows to the barracks suddenly exploded outward as a deafening shout erupted from inside. The two startled Captains watched as something shot straight through the room into the air above the barracks then quickly fell back down through the same hole it had exited.

The two captains looked to each other in horror before running into the barracks to seat what had just happened. Upon entering they saw an earth pony laying on a completely crushed bed in a daze, Midnight stood at the foot of the bed with a scowl across his face while staring at said pony. Every bed within twenty feet had been pushed away from Midnight from the vocal blast.

"ON YOUR HOOVES SOLDIER!" Midnight shouted to the stunned earth pony as he quickly moved to his hooves, standing at attention. Midnight watched him shaking as he stared at Midnight with a complete look of horror.

"WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT PRIVATE!" Midnight shouted once again causing the pony to blink and stare at him without answering.

"IF I HAVE TO ASK YOU A SECOND TIME I AM GOING TO RIP YOUR HEAD OFF AND SHIT DOWN YOUR THROAT!" Midnight snapped as he pressed his forehead directly to the shaking pony before him.

"NOTHING SIR!" The pony shouted back.

"PRIVATE, FROM THIS MOMENT FORWARD YOU ARE NOT TO WEAR EAR PLUGS UNTIL THE DAY YOU GRADUATE FROM THIS BOOTCAMP! IF YOU FAIL TO ABIDE BY THIS RULE, I WILL PERSONALLY BEAT YOU TO DEATH AND SEND WHAT'S LEFT TO THE PRINCESS. IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?"

"YES SIR!" He shouted.

"GOOD! NOW EVERYPONY HEAD TO THE FIRST TRAINING FIELD IN SECTOR 3. iF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN BRIEFED ON ITS LOCATION, THERE IS A MAP AT EACH EXIT FROM THE BARRACKS. EVERYPONY HAS EXACTLY TWO MINUTES! ANYPONY WHO IS LATE WILL NOT GET TO EAT LUNCH! BEGIN!" Midnight shouted as he disappeared in a flash of light, teleporting to the designated area and leaving everypony stunned within the barracks. That was until one private galloped quickly out of the building, quickly followed by every other pony, some stopping to check the map of the base.

Midnight stood at the designated area, wings flared, his fire mane and tail blazing in the dim sunlight morning. Each pony began to file in quickly as line began to form. After the two minute mark Midnight raised a magical shield that would place a glowing orb over any pony coming through it to signify they were now late. Luckily enough though everypony had made it in time. The two captains had shown up after roughly half of the platoon had arrived. taking there places at Midnight's side. They had been briefed the previous day that the events that would unfold through training would be rigorous and harder than anything Celestia's guard had gone through before. However they were not briefed on the language that would be expelled from Midnight during the process.

"LISTEN UP!" Midnight began as his voice now became considerably lower. "Today's exercises are going to help you build endurance. As I am sure every one of you know, Earth ponies have naturally high dexterity and endurance so this training will be much easier for them right?"

There were some mixed whispers within the platoon as Midnight began once again.

"WRONG!" He shouted causing everypony to tense up. This exercise will also require all earth ponies to strap on a pack with an additional fifty pounds in weight onto their backs! This will put most of you on a level playing field with each other. I will also warn all unicorns to avoid magic usage at all times to try and give the an edge. I have personally placed magic checkpoints throughout the base to change any pony using magic to aid them pink. This will only affect the caster and not the caste. So if one of you decide they want to be a smart ass and cast a spell on another to try and get them in trouble by turning them pink. Then you will love to be pink for the week." Midnight spoke out as the scowl never left his face.

"Your captains have been briefed on what you are to go through today. I will be watching them and everypony at all times with my magic. So if you at anytime complain or otherwise starting belly aching about your training. I will personally punish your sorry flanks. IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?!" He shouted, getting a yes sir in a united voice from everypony before him.

"GOOD! I shall take my leave. You are to follow your Captains orders without fail. At no time are you to disobey them. Disobeying a direct order will have dire consequences." He shouted once again just before a pony stepped forward from the front line.

"SIR!" The pony shouted garnering Midnights attention.

"Yes private?" He spoke loud enough for everypony to hear.

"I am having second thoughts on this training. I would like to be excused from the guard." He shouted as he stared forward straight through Midnight.

Midnight's horn lit up brightly as a bolt of lightning shot forth completely incinerating the pony into dust.
"DISMISSED, FOR ETERNITY!" He shouted with an evil grin causing everypony to recoil in fear.

"ATTENTION!" He shouted getting everypony to stand still. Many shaking in fear as they watched the smoldering ashes in the spot the one pony had been standing.

"DESERTERS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED! It was your choice to join the guard and you have sworn an oath to protect this land and your leaders with your lives. From that moment you have given your life to your rulers and the land you are to protect. Failure will always result in the same consequence, and that is death! I leave you in your Captains care. Do not disappoint me!" Midnight shouted once more before disappearing in a flash of light. Many of the ponies standing there now fell to the ground in complete shock at what had just transpired.. Some rocked back and forth while muttering to themselves. The two captains stood in shock wondering what had just happened before finally pulling themselves together to get the ponies to begin their training.

*SNAP*

Midnight appeared high above the base in a cloud building made specifically for watching the base below. Celestia was standing there looking at the monitors when Midnight stepped up to her side.

"Don't you think you went a little far with that trick Midnight?" She asked as she rewound the video to when Midnight had vaporized the pony.

"Nope, They had no idea that the pony who I blasted with magic wasn't real. It's a good motivator though, at least you will have some seriously tough ponies to help protect this world. I am surprised that not one of them ran after that." He chuckled,

"I think you may have spoken to soon my dear." Celestia sighed pointing at a monitor. A single earth pony was making a mad dash across the base.

"Hmmmm, good thing I set up a spell to teleport any of those idiots who run directly to me." He chuckled watching the pony for a moment. Midnight raised a brow as the pony ran into a building, then coming back out with two others following him to the field he had previously ran from. Looks like Shining Armor sent that pony to get the other Captains." Midnight chuckled.

"Do you think your plan is going to work on them?" Celestia asked giving a nervous smile.

"If it doesn't, then they are going to be in a world of hurt." He grinned.

"I can't believe what I just saw!?" Shining croaked out in total shock once Midnight had left. "YOU! PRIVATE!" He shouted as he pointed toward an earth pony.

"SIR?" He shouted back.

"Get the other two Captains. They are in their quarters."

The pony saluted and mad a mad dash from the area toward the captains barracks. Once he had made it he spoke out in shock to them as he busted in.

"CAPTAIN!"

The two Captains turned to the private from the sudden interruption of their thoughts. "Private?" Iron Clad spoke.

"Midnight, h-h-h-he killed a pony. Captain Armor sent me for you." He panted still trying to catch his breath.

Without word the two captains dashed from the building heading to Shining and the other guard in sector three. Upon arrival they trotted up to the other Captains as they stood around a dark singed spot on the ground.

"What's this I heard about Midnight killing a pony?" Iron spoke up as he came up to the group."

"He just vaporized him with his magic because he wanted to leave. He killed him right in front of everypony." Whip choked out trying not to cry.

"We can't stand for this! We need to band together to take on Midnight. If he is going to kill a pony just because they would run from a fight then he doesn't deserve to have us as his guard." Shining growled as tears formed in his eyes while looking at the burned ash on the ground.

"We are with you Captain." The three other captains spoke in unison.

"Gather the stallions and talk to them. Let them know they have a choice in this. Tell them all to gather in one hour at the track field. We will settle this then." shining growled as a single tear fell from his eye onto the ash below.

"MIDNIGHT! I KNOW YOU"RE WATCHING! SHOW YOURSELF!" Shining armor shouted as he paced back and forth on the track field. He was dressed in his full set of armor as was every single pony on base that stood behind him. The three captains stood at equal distance from him in front of the platoon.

*SNAP*

Midnight appeared in a flash of light as he walked up to Shining Armor.

"Captain, what do you have to report?" Midnight spoke as he looked down at the white unicorn before him. "And why are you dressed in your guard armor?"

"Midnight Flame!" Shining spoke out in a tone loud enough for everypony to hear him. "You have killed an innocent pony that wished to leave the guard did you not?"

"I did." He shouted causing many of the ponies to growl at the answer.

"The guard has agreed that your crime of murder cannot go unpunished. You will be sentenced to imprisonment for your crime for eternity. The guard has agreed as one to fight you should you put up a fight. As the Royal Guard of Equestria we cannot let an atrocity as this go without punishment."

"So you all are willing to fight to the death just to put me down?" Midnight shouted as he looked over the platoon.

"YES SIR!" Shouted each and every pony within the area.

"And are you all agreeing to this on your captains orders?"

"NO SIR!" They shouted.

"This is your decisions alone?"

"YES SIR!" They shouted once again.

"And you are willing to die fighting?"

"YES SIR!" They shouted once again just as a loud snap was heard again as a flash of light erupted from in front of everypony. Once their vision returned they looked to see Princess Celestia standing before everypony. Shining Armor and the other Captains quickly grabbing her and pulling her behind them, taking on an aggressive stance toward Midnight.

Midnight smiled before he began to laugh, Celestia joining him by giving a slight giggle.

"CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ENTIRE PLATOON!" Midnight spoke out in the royal whee. "You have all passed your first test!"

Every pony stood there in confusion until Midnight's horn lit up, sending forth some magic and making a pony appear before him.

"The pony I apparently murdered earlier was from an illusion spell. The lightning spell I used vaporized an invisible apple I had laid on the ground where you saw the burnt ash. No pony is going to die from wanting to leave the guard. I am sorry to have deceived you all but this action was to weed out anypony who would desert the guard in the face of certain death. As I have seen, not one of the guard has left. You all have made the princess and I very proud by your loyalty. I would like to give everypony the rest of the day off to prepare for tomorrows training exercises. Although you will still have to wake early. I look forward to seeing everypony bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning, is that clear?"

"YES SIR!" They all shouted. All except for Shining Armor who slowly came up to Midnight glaring at him. Without word he turned back to the platoon and bucked Midnight across the face sending him into the dirt. The platoon and Celestia let out a gasp. Midnight slowly getting to his hooves and walking up to Shining Armor who was shaking as tears filled his eyes.

"I deserved that, and I would like to apologize for my actions. It was only to help strengthen your bond with your men." Midnight smiled.

"Understood sir." Shining spoke out.

"DISMISSED!" Midnight shouted causing the crowd to disperse.

Midnight began walking away from the group, Celestia catching up to him as she spoke.

"Are you alright? I am shocked Shining Armor would do that to you." She said as she looked at the slight swelling of Midnights jaw.

"It was worth the pain, now his men will know that he cares deeply for them and will fight even the deadliest of enemies to avenge any of them. He will be a far greater Captain after this training has been done. I am already proud of him, and you should be too." Midnight chuckled as the two Alicorn's continued walking.

"I am, and I am sure he is thinking the same thing." Celestia smiled as she looked back seeing Shining Armor saluting the two of them.