Twilight laid prone on one of the castle rooftops under a sheet she had liberated from a guest room in the castle. Across from her was the throne room, and inside sat the Princess of the Sun upon her throne. Twilight could easily see her through her sniper scope.

The sniper paned the throne room. “Well they certain look ready.” She mumbled to herself as she swept over the soldiers that patrolled the Throne Room for threats while the Royal Guard stood at attention along the wall. They were all waiting for Twilight to make her move. To bad they were expecting an assault, not an assignation from range.

Twilight returned her aim back to the princess and placed the crosshairs on the Princess’ temple and she smiled wide. “You’re in the sniper’s sight, the first kill tonight, say goodbye.” She sang under her breath before humming the tune of the song that just seemed appropriate. “You’re in the bullets way.” She said and squeezed the trigger.

The rifle kicked and Twilight watched the spray of read as the bullet exited out the other side of the Princess’ head and she toppled to the ground dead. Twilight had to chuckle as her head popped off and rolled across the floor before the stunned guards and soldiers.

Twilight shook her head as she teleported from the roof to stand just before the thrown and stood at her full height, sniper gripped in her hands. “Congratulations, you did much better this time. “She said as she looked over Princess Melon of the Sun and her melon head that had rolled a surprising distance across the floor.

“But…we failed to stop her from being killed; we haven’t stopped you from killing her once.” Said one of the squad leaders as he looked at the makeshift princess sand in.

“Well yeah you are verse me and the day I lose to you lot is the day I become a Fed.” Twilight said.

The soldiers blinked. “Become a what?” One of them asked.

“Nothing, just a saying I picked up. “She waved her hand dismissively. “Anyways clean thing mess up then I think we will head for the mess hall to grab some breakfast.” She told them.

Twilight walked down the hall well ahead of her recruits as she left them to clean up the mess, she mentally kicked herself several time for letting slip info about the Feds, it may have just been a name but it was still classified to the highest level of the Equestria Government.

She sighed, while she knew the need for secrecy it was hard not to mention the Feds as she was used to talking about them without secrecy. She couldn’t wait till she managed to get her command staff built so she had someone to talk to without secrecy, well less secrecy.

She sighed and grasped her hands behind her back as she walked turning her thoughts to the most recent mock security breech she had just run with the recruits. They had been improving over the last month since the first day they started, their times for laps and the obstacle course Twilight had set up.

She was also pleased with the fact the rest of the recruits had taken to calling Filly by the name Twilight gave him on the first day as it kept him in line. That and anytime one of them screwed up they all were punished so they all made sure they all stayed in line, a perfect system.

Twilight was almost to the point of getting squad leaders and then moving onto the next phase of training by lading them into Everfree Forest to face down monsters as she had already seen the prototypes for the guns and saddles that will allow non-unicorns to use the guns as well as they were making excellent progress with armored units. By the time Twilight moved onto the next phase of training her recruits would be equipped as soldiers.

Twilight was dragged out of her thoughts as she walked into the mess hall and finding Princess Celestia, Luna, and her friends all around a table chatting. Blinking in confusion she made her way over and Saluted the Princess of the Sun and Night. “Ma’am I did not expect to see you here.” She said crisply.

Celestia smiled warmly at her. “At ease Twilight this is not a formal meeting. I just noticed you haven’t taken a break since your recruits arrived and thought you could use one so I invited your friends to share a meal with you and decided I would join you as well.”

Twilight nodded. “Very well ma’am.” She said before taking a seat on the bench across from the Solar Princess. When the waitress that always worked in the morning made her way over to take their orders Twilight was the first to speak. “Just my usual Dawn.” She said and the waitress nodded before turning to the rest of the group to take their orders as well.

Once the orders were all taken the waitress left in a hurry to deliver them to the kitchen and Celestia smiled at Twilight. “So you took the time to remember the name of the castle staff but no of the nobles I see Commander.” She said with a hint of amusement in her voice.

Twilight shrugged. “I make a point to remember the names of those who don’t annoy the fuck out of me.” She said simply and ignored the collect gasp that came from everyone but the two princesses of the sky and Cadence who covered her mouth in shock.

“Twilight, you can’t speak like that around the Princess!” Rarity whispered harshly from Twilights right side.

“Like what?” Twilight asked looking at the fashionista.

The mare just facehoofed and sighed. “Never mind, it’s too early to try and teach you proper edict.” She said.

“It is alright my little pony, I am well aware of my student’s colorful vocabulary and know she only speaks like that when in normal settings unless angered, it has actually been a good way to judge when she needs to take a break as the more creative her swearing the closes she is to needing a break.” The Sun Princess said with a small chuckle while the rest of the table, save Luna just stared at her.

“So Twi how has it been training ponies in…whatever it is you are training them in.” Applejack asked once she recovered.

“How to be proper soldiers.” Twilight said to fill in what Applejack was missing. “And it goes well, they are taking to training very well and I’m almost ready to move them onto Phase Two.”

“Phase Two?” Rainbow Dash asked from further down the table.

“Taking them into the Everfree for survival training and to get them used to staying calm in stressful situations.”

“The Everfree? You are taking ponies into that death trap? Darling are you feeling alright?” Rarity asked.

“Quite fine, thank you and yes I am. It’s one of the most dangerous places in Equestria; if they can make it there then they will be able to handle most situations they will face.” Twilight explained.

“But what if some of them get hurt…or…worse…” Came Fluttershy’s soft voice from her place across from Dash.

“Then they go down alone and not in the field where they can drag their squad or who knows how many others with them.” Twilight said somewhat coldly, civilians just didn’t understand how military life was, especially in Equestria. It’s better to weed out the weak in training then in the field where the pony next to them life depends on them. If something happens during training I can step in as needed.”

The table was quiet for a bit till Luna spoke up. “Twilight Sparkle, there is merit to what you say but do you truly believe fifty soldiers will be enough to have your army ready to deploy?”

“Not at all, most of this lot will become instructors for future recruits.” Twilight said. “I’ll maybe have a couple of squads be put on active duty, made up of the highest graded squads just in case they are needed but for the most part I want a much larger force to ensure Equestria’s safety.”

Before anyone could respond the conversation was interrupted by the doors to the kitchen opened at the same time as the doors to the hall opened to admit the recruits.

The servants brought the groups meal over on carts and began to distribute the food to each pony who ordered it with the last plate being set before Twilight who looked at it happily as the waiters moved to take the recruits orders.

Before Twilight could enjoy her breakfast she was interrupted by Rainbow Dash speaking up suddenly. “Uh…Twilight…what the hey did you order?”

Twilight looked up at her then back at her plate before her eyes fell on the cyan mare again. “Bacon, eggs and toast with grape jam, why?”

“Bacon? Isn’t that….isn’t that…”Applejack said trying to voice what she was thinking.

“Pork, yes it is, why do you ask?” Twilight asked innocently while inside she was grinning like the mad mare she was, the show begins~~~

The ponies around the table’s faces all paled and turned green, except for the two Rulers who managed to keep their composure. “Is something wrong?” Twilight asked as she picked up a piece of bacon and took a bite, enjoying the taste and the darkening shade of green everyone was turning, out of her friends Rarity handled it the best having witnessed this already but even still she was registered sever nausea like everyone but the two Princesses who registered very mild nausea.

“You eat meat? Since when?” Applejack blurted out.

“Um…”Twilight made a show of thinking as she swallowed and took another bite. “I’d say little over a year now, yeah that’s about right.” She said.

“Why the buck do you eat meat?!’ Rainbow practically demanded.

“Because we ran out of everything but ham and chicken breast and wouldn’t be able to get more for over a week, so it was either eat meat or go hungry.” Twilight said swallowing loudly, she was enjoying watching them all squirm while she read the medical information her eyes told her.

“Couldn’t you have eaten grass or something?” Rainbow asked again.

“What grass? We were in a sewer under a massive city, and if you think it’s a good idea to walk into a public park as the only pony on the entire planet then just think about the sort of reaction people would have upon seeing something they had never seen before. Not to mention I was an enemy of the government who would either shoot me on sight or try to capture me and neither of those are desirable outcomes.” Twilight said pushing the last of the strip of bacon she had been eating into her mouth, she barely kept a large smile from splitting her muzzle as Fluttershy retreated behind her mane and Pinkie looked like she was about to introduce everyone to her dinner from last night.

“That may be…but why are you still eating it now that you don’t have to?” Applejack asked.

Twilight shrugged and swallowed once more. “Because it’s good?” She said with the most innocent look she could give from behind her sunglasses.

That did it, all the non-Alicorn mares pushed their plates away from then not having touched anything on them while Celestia calmly sipped her tea and Luna enjoyed her toast. “Well, I had heard about your…peculiar eating habits and I must say it is very interesting to actually bear witness to it.” The Princess of the Sun said. “I do hope you have not had any issues with the cooking staff as they are more used to preparing for Griffins and not ponies.”

Twilight shrugged. “I did at first but I had a word with the head cook and it was resolved.” Twilight said.

“Well that is good, also Commander, when you have time I believe there is a project that just needs your approval before it will be released to the….” The Princess stumbled slightly as Twilight hadn’t officially turned in the forms with the name of her new branch.

“Equestrian Defense Force, though you can just call it the EDF.” Twilight said. “And I’ll be putting in the forms first thing tomorrow.”

Celestia nodded. “Very well, once you approve of the projects they can move into production for the EDF to use and I believe the training facility should be completed within the next few days.” Celestia said. “I believe you mentioned you had a name for all the facilities you plan to have built, what will this one officially be called?”

“Yes, Prey tell us Twilight Sparkle, I am most curious as to what this new place shall be called as well.” Luna said slipping into a bit of olden speak as she sometimes did when not paying attention.

“Oh that’s easy, I have the perfect name for it. “Twilight said with a smile, she would be the only one to ever find this humorous but still she couldn’t resist. “It’s called Camp Mendez”

Author's Notes:

Whelp got a name for Twilight's army now as well as her first facility is named.

and of course another appearance of Psycho-Twi is always of interest.

It think the next Interlude will skip several months as there isn't much to cover between here and the next main point in the interlude.