Note - Sorry about taking so long to get the next chapter out. I got stuck on one part, and eventually kind of just forgot about Boot Camp. The next chapter will be much bigger.

Sweetie Belle tossed and turned in her bed, unable to get to sleep. Her mind kept wandering to Doctor Halsey's speech.

"You have been called upon to serve, you will be trained... and you will become the best we can make of you. You will be the protectors of Earth and all her colonies." Sweetie Belle remembered her saying in a vivid flashback.

"Sweetie Belle, ya awake?" Sweetie Belle heard a familiar voice ask in southern droll. Sweetie Belle leaned up and looked over to see Applebloom looking right at her.

"Yeah..." Sweetie Belle replied.

"Ah can't sleep." Applebloom said.

"Me either... I can't stop thinking about what is going to happen."

"Same ere'."

Sweetie Belle released a quiet yawn. "We should probably keep trying to go to sleep..."

"Yeah... good night, Sweetie Belle."

"Good night, Applebloom."

Sweetie Belle and Applebloom lowered their heads and snuggled into their blankets, closing their eyes.
"Hey Sweetie Belle?" Applebloom asked.

"Yeah?" Sweetie Belle replied.

"No matter what... I'll always be here for you. Okay?"

Sweetie Belle smiled. "I will always be here for you too, Applebloom. Good night."

"Night."

"Get up, maggot!" Sweetie Belle heard someone shouting at her as she felt a sharp pain in her side. She jolted awake and screamed out in pain as she fell out of her bed. She looked up to see a tall, bald man looking down at her, a stun baton in his hand.

"I said up!" He shouted, jabbing her with his baton once more, sending a powerful electric shock through her body. She released a pained yelp and jumped to her hooves, backing away a little from him. The young ponies and humans that surrounded her were getting similiar treatment from other me, who seemed to be showing them no mercy.

"My name is Senior Chief Petty Officer Mendez, and these fine men and colts are your trainers. You have a lot of work ahead of you trainees, let's get to work! Fall out!" Mendez shouted. When the children didn't budge, he walked over to Applebloom and jabbed her in the side. She fell over onto the ground, writhing in pain and sobbing lightly.

"Who's next?" One of the trainers asked, an evil grin spreading across his face as he activated his stun baton. The trainees quickly filed out of their barracks and into the courtyard.

"Alright trainees! It's time to get down to business!" Mendez bellowed.

None of the trainees have ever ached so badly in their lives.

-A couple years later-

"Move it, maggots! Get on board your pelicans!" Sweetie Belle could hear Mendez screaming. An Army trooper helped Sweetie Belle and the rest of Aqua Team onto their pelican. Another Army trooper was waiting for them, a large duffel bag in his hand. He tossed in the middle of the ponies, before leaning down and unzipping it. Inside were four LWC's and one DMR, each with a strange device attached to the barrels.

"Hey mister, what is that?" Applebloom asked, pointing her hoof at the device on the barrel of her LWC.

"It's a variant of the laser designator that we use to track how many times to hit or kill an enemy. Take your pick, peo- err... ponies." The Army trooper replied.

"Dibs!" Firefly said, picking up the DMR with a large smile on her face. The other ponies picked up the LWC's, looking them over.

The trooper picked up a nearby crowbar and used it to open a nearby crate. Inside were five U.N.S.C. Army BDU's, all of which were crafted to fit the bodies of the ponies, as well as body armor and helmets. He then distrubuted the BDU's to Aqua Team, helping them into their uniforms like a mother would help a child into their clothes.

"Ready to go?" The trooper asked. The ponies nodded. "Alright, Mendez will be beginning his briefing shortly. Good luck." The trooper jumped out of the pelican as it started to lift off, the pelican bay door closing behind him.

"Alright Spartans, this exercise will be testing how well invidivual teams preform in battle. Every other team is your enemy, simple as that. Your firearms are loaded with tactical training rounds, that will simulate an injury if you are hit. The best three teams get a well deserved break at a resort in the Rocky Mountains. There will be quality food and skiing, and of course, no P.T."

"Sounds too good to be true." Firely commented.

"Remember, you must rely on your teammates. If you go off and be a lone wolf, you will likely get killed. Good luck Spartans. Mendez, out."

Sweetie Belle carefully slid a magazine into her LWC and waited for the pelicans bay door to lower, before rolling out of the pelican, followed by the rest of Aqua Team.

"Alright team, let's get a move on!" Sweetie Belle called out, before scanning the area. To their right, she spotted a large hill.

'Perfect'. "Okay team, we're heading for that hill. Come on, that vacation is ours!" Sweetie Belle bellowed, as her and the rest of her team sprinted towards the hill.