Princess Twilight Sparkle sat in the dining hall with her friends, it had been a little over two weeks since Celestia summoned her and the Commander to Canterlot and with the Commander having to stay to training her group of Royal Guards which meant Twilight had had to remain as she was still supposed to keep an eye on the unicorn mare. Though with the Commander now having something to actually do she didn’t really need supervision much anymore.

Though Celestia still felt she did, especially when she heard about the obstacle course and how the Commander ran the guards through it four times while shooting them with the paint ball gun and yelling insults at them. Twilight was still impressed by just how many swear words the Commander knew and how she was able to combine them as well as just the sheer number of insults she hurled at the guards, Twilight was sure she never repeated an insult the entire day.

After the obstacle course she had told the guards she was giving them a break, the guards had been relieved as had the ponies watching. The commander waiting five seconds before saying the break was over and then made them run the perimeter of the courtyard while she ran alongside them barking insults and shooting them if they slowed. After that had been exercises and then another run before going back through the obstacle course.

The entire time the Commander was doing everything but the obstacle course right alongside them while yelling and shooting them. Twilight knew the unicorn was fit but by the end of the day when she called an end to that day’s lesson she hadn’t even been winded while the guards could barely stand. She told them to go get food and sleep or do whatever they wanted and that she’d see them tomorrow. She removed the packs the guards had been wearing the entire time as well as the inhibitor rings from the unicorns.

Shinning Armor had gone with them to make sure they were ok and from what she had heard they ate very simple meals and went to their barracks where they passed out in their beds instantly. Shinning was both impressed with Twilight’s counterpart for being able to do all that while yelling and annoyed with being so brutal to the guards as well as most of what she said to them.

Celestia wasn’t much better Twilight could tell but she had pointed out that the Commander had kept her promise and not beaten the guards like before just ran them hard. Celestia had agreed though Twilight got the distinct feeling she was displeased by something.

Twilight had been surprised to find only Stonewall in her apartment the next morning and he told Twilight the Commander had gotten up very early and disappeared for a while before returning to eat a small meal and then told Stonewall she was going to train the recruits and for him to stay put as she didn’t need him till later.

Twilight had heard the Commander went into the barracks well before dawn and roused her guards with buckets of water before screaming at them to get a move on as they were going to an early morning run. It had been like that for the past two weeks, constant runs, obstacle courses the mare built and redesigned exercises and then started hoof to hoof training as well as putting them through their paces with their own weapons as well as what the Commander called “improvised weapons” which consisted of random objects she gathered from around the castle and taking them for squad training. All with the guard wearing their PT gear that had been increased slowly till now it rested at two-hundred pounds, what she called a standard gunner’s pack weight.

Twilight had watched a few of them out of curiosity and asked the Commander If this was really how the EDF was trained, she had replied it was though slightly accelerated do to time constraints and the fact the Royal Guard had some basic training. There had been complaints at first but anytime one complained then the Commander either turned the hose she still had on them or made them all run more laps or do more exercises. The complaining soon stopped as the guards all made sure no one complained as they were all punished for it.

It had been very interesting getting more insight into the army her counterpart lead and she wished she could actually see it though that was unlikely to ever happen, they still didn’t know if they could get the Commander home.

Though today the Commander was giving her guards only a half day of training so she would have time to prepare for tonight’s event. That event was the Grand Galloping Gala and it was why her friends were here as they wanted to visit with Twilight before the Gala, it had been a nice surprise as she had missed her friends the last week and she was looking forward to the Gala tonight.

“Ha I win!” Scootloo said as she raced over to the table with Applebloom and Sweetie Belle right behind you.

“Ah told you we weren’t racing you.” Applebloom said as she took a seat at the end of the table with the other two Crusaders. Twilight had been surprised when her friends had arrived with the three fillies but Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow had said they could bring a plus one and so decided to bring the crusaders, Rarity and Applejack were very emotional, Applejack much less then rarity, about this being their sister’s first Gala while Rainbow played of how she felt as usual. The others could have brought plus ones as well but were unable to think of anyone and Twilight had sent for Spike to be her plus one, She had no idea who the Commander was going to have as a plus one.

“I must say it sounds like the EDF of the Commander’s is very brutal to their own soldiers based on what you tell us Twilight, I can’t imagine how such methods could produce a fighting force at all.” Rarity said in thought.

“Well we’ve all seen the Commander fight so it must work.” Twilight said and her friends paled slightly, though the Crusaders were lost in their own conversation and Twilight was thankful they hadn’t been at the party when the Purifiers had attack, having gone off to do their Crusading shortly before they arrived so had missed seeing the death the Commander had hoofed out.

“Yes I have no doubt the Commander think’s she knows what she is doing.” Celestia said as she walked up to the table with Luna close behind as was Shinning Armor and Cadence, as leader of the Royal Guard Shinning was staying close to the Princesses in case he was needed and Cadence was staying with him for the most part. Her friends and their sisters quickly got up and bowed while Twilight remained sitting, only nodding in respect. Twilight hadn’t seen much of Celestia the past couple of weeks as she was busy with court but Twilight not trying to bow seemed to surprise her, thought Twilight didn’t know why, She was a Princess herself so didn’t need to bow, Celestia always told her she didn’t have to bow so why was she surprised she didn’t?

No matter she smiled at her former mentor. “Hey Celestia, what brings you here?” She asked and this caused both Princesses and her friends to look at her in surprise, except Luna who looked amused.

“I thought I would join you all for lunch before going to prepare for tonight’s Gala.” Celestia said recovering quickly before taking a seat with the group of ponies. It did not take long for a servant to arrive to take the two Princesses’ order and then depart to fill the order.

Celestia smiled at the gathered ponies. “So Twilight are you and your friends looking forward to the Gala tonight?” The Solar Princess asked. All of them answered that they were and that allowed her to ask her next question. “Twilight, what of the Commander, is she ready for the Gala?”

Twilight nodded. “She says she is and that she has something to wear though I haven’t seen it. She says it’s what she wears to every Gala and party she goes to as she is usually there as a representative of the EDF and I don’t think here is any different as she is technically an ambassador.”

“Yes, she is. I will need to speak to her about her….music for the Gala.” Celestia said hesitantly and Twilight’s friends all looked at the Solar Princess, they had all heard some of the Commander’s music so wondered why Celestia needed to talk to her about it.

“The Commander is an ambassador, granted it is from an alternate Equestria but she is still a representative of that nation. As such since she is going to be at the Gala some music from her home land will be played at it. It’s done for any ambassador.” Twilight explained and her friends all nodded in understanding though they did look concerned. Twilight had to admit she shared in that concern as well as she had heard more of the Commander’s music then anypony here and knew what type of music the mare liked and had with her.

Before anyone could voice concerns or suggestions for how to handle the situation the door at the far end of the dining hall opened and the Commander walked in followed by her Royal Guard trainees walking in two rows. The Commander was on two legs as she usually was with her hands behind her back. However what everyone in the room was looking at were the guards walking behind her. The Commander had changed the uniform of her Royal Guards. Gone was the gold armor and they now all wore dark green uniforms similar to her own. Where she got them Twilight had no idea.

However the strangest thing was how they moved. Twilight had seen the Royal Guard march and move; they were always in perfect unison. But the Commander’s Guards didn’t just move in unison, they moved as if they were a single entity, each individual pony merely a part of a larger being. They faced straight ahead, there hooves fell in perfect sync, they even appeared to be breathing in unison. Yes it was like they were all one being and not ten ponies. Was this what it was like to be a soldier of the Equestrian Defense Force?

The Commander noticed them and walked up to their table, the ponies behind her staying the exact same distance behind her as they approached the table. When shew as close the Commander smirked as she looked at Twilight. “You know Princess if you wanted to catch flies there is an easier way.” She said and Twilight realized her mouth was hanging open and snapped it shut with a blush.

The unicorn chuckled before looking over her shoulder at the guards behind her. “Training is done for the rest of the day, feel free to eat and do as you please and we shall pick up training at 0500 tomorrow.” She told them.

The guards’ right hooves snapped up to the edge of their caps in the same salute Twilight had seen the Commander use when being formal. “Thank you ma’am.” All ten ponies said in unison before they turned and made their way to a table, as they walked them slowly fell out of unison and by the time they reached the table they all moved as individuals again.

The Commander was smiling after them and when they sat at their table she looked back at the group. “Nothing like seeing proper soldiers at work is there?” She said with a smile before she moved over and took the last remaining seat at the table.

It was Shinning who spoke up first. “What did you do to them?” he asked looking back over them as the guards talked among themselves and the normally dressed guards in the room looked at their dark green wearing fellows as if not sure what they were seeing. The ten guards under the Commander either didn’t notice or chose to ignore it as they talked with each other.

“What I was asked to do, make them able to deal with the threat to this nation, the only way to do that was to make them into proper soldiers, or at least as close as I can with the limited time I have.” She explained with a smirk as she leaned forward. “While it normally takes a few months to turn a recruit into a soldier but with limited time and this lot having some basic training rom their time as Royal Guard I accelerated the training. They aren’t up to the standard of the EDF but they are getting there.”

Shinning looked from the mare to the Guards and back. “But…how….” He asked confused.

“The same way I was trained and the same way every member of the EDF was trained. “She said and smiled wide and Twilight recognized it as her seeing a chance for some amusement. “Want to see a demonstration?” She asked.

Shinning Armor looked back at the guards, there was no way the methods the mare employed could have done anything besides make them just move in unison like that so he nodded.

“Have a guard pick up that knife and place it to the Princess here’s neck.” The Commander said gesturing to Twilight with her head.

Frowning Shinning did as asked and waved a guard of and instructed them what to do. The Guard apologized for doing so. The Commander looked between them and then took a deep breath. “Enemy sighted! Protect the Princess!” She shouted. The Royal Guards actually guarding the room had been watching so knew there was no threat but the ones who had been at table looked up to see what was happening.

A moment after the Commander’s fake alert a glass hurled across the room and collided with the side of the guard’s head. A moment later two of the dark green wearing earth ponies were on him powering him back away from Twilight as the rest of them swarmed around the table to form a protective perimeter armed with knives that had been on their own tables.

The two ponies dealing with the fake enemy shifted their weight to their back hooves and lifted the guard up before slamming him down onto the ground hard where they pinned him.

“Stop!” Commander barked and every one of them froze. “Stand down.” Commander said and all ten of them relaxed. “Very good lads, you pass this drill with flying colors. “She told them and all ten of them looked rather happy with the news. “Ok you may return to your meals and I won’t be doing anymore drills today.” She told them and them saluted before helping the other guard to his hooves and then making their way back to their table where they had to right most of the chairs as they had been knocked over by how fast the guards had moved.

The Commander looked back at Shinning and laced her fingers before herself and smirked over them at the Captain of the guard. “I think my point has been proven. “She said and all the ponies at the table just stared at her.

It took a while before any sound beside Commander Twilight Sparkle’s trainees talking at their own table and she found it oh so enjoyable. While her trainees weren’t quiet soldiers they were getting there slowly, she doubted they could do most then non-lethal take down but it took time to get her old recruits to be able to end a life when needed. It became far easier after Tirek but the way he had been handled here meant these ponies didn’t comprehends the concept of those who needed to die.

Once the room returned to normal a servant came over and took her order, which was just bring her whatever as she had been so busy with her trainees she hadn’t had time to really deal with the kitchens and getting a proper meal.

“So tell me Commander, do you have a dress ready for tonight because I took the liberty of making a few for you I’m sure you will love. “ Rarity said as she sipped her tea now that everything had calmed down.

“I already have my dress uniform.” Twilight said and Rarity started to open her mouth to object to a uniform but Twilight forestalled her argument. “It’s not like my normal uniform and before you ask it was made by you, well my Rarity so yes it is fashionable.”

This seemed to have pleased her as she started talking about looking forward to seeing the other her’s work and comparing it to what she has herself while Twilight sat quietly and waited for her meal.

It wasn’t long after her meal arrived, which seemed to be the same meal the Princess was eating, that another question was posed to her. “So Commander we’ve all been wonderin’ who you were taking as a plus one?” Applejack asked her and the table looked at her expectantly.

“Most likely going to be Stonewall.” She explained simply.

“Oh? You’ve been spending an awful lot of time with that stallion haven’t you—“Rarity started but Twilight cut off what she was about to say.

“Let me stop you there, Stonewall is just a friend and my assistant while I work with the trainees.” She explained and Rarity looked disappointed, why was Rarity always trying to play matchmaker with her. Even when it was a different Rarity she still tried to set Twilight up with some stallion and a couple of mares when she thought that maybe Twilight was that way. Even after Twilight told her she wasn’t looking for anyone due to her work Rarity still tried everyone once in a while.

“Speaking of the Gala Commander I don’t know if it is the same in your Equestria but here we tend to have music from the visiting ambassador’s home country played at the Gala if they are there.” Celestia said and Twilight nodded.

“Same for us and seeing as I am technically an ambassador of sorts you need some music from me yes?” Twilight said and Celestia nodded.

“However I was wondering if you had music that wasn’t quite like some of the other music you listen to.” Celestia said as she looked over her tea cup at the military mare.

Twilight nodded once more. “Yes I have music that is more appropriate for parties like the Gala and I set up a playlist of it, will just need a sound system to hook my datapad up to and we will be good.” Twilight explained and Celestia nodded in appreciation. After that the conversation remained on the Gala but for the most part was on past Galas they had been to, Twilight found it interesting how close their timelines were up to a certain point then they diverged greatly as Twilight’s Equestria moved towards being a military and economic superpower on Equus while this Equestria remained the same, still powerful and holding sway on the global scale but mostly due to the four Princesses and nothing more. Twilight found it interesting comparing them to see what was the same and what was different.

Princess Twilight Sparkle was in the bedroom of her apartment getting into her dress, she had chosen to wear the “Princess Dress” from when Rarity opened her boutique in Canterlot as she liked the dress and it was one of the few dresses made by Rarity that fit her alicorn body. The Gala was less than an hour away and she could hardly contain her excitement, she still didn’t know why she found herself looking forward to the inherently boring Gala, but she was. Maybe it was because the Commander would be there and she would get to see how the Commander acted in a social event.

She knew the Commander could be formal when she wanted to be, for a while she was very formal towards Celestia after her privileges had been returned but as she worked with the trainees she had gone back to her normal self. The Gala wouldn’t be like trying to get back on Celestia’s good side.

Finishing getting her dress on Twilight made her way to the bedroom door and knocked. “Commander are you ready?” She called, if felt odd knocking to exit her room but the Commander was still staying in her room and twilight had given up trying to get her and Stonewall to leave. Because of that the Commander used the main room of twilight’s apartment to change into her dress uniform which twilight had yet to see.

“Been done for a while princess, just waiting on you.” The Commander called from the other side of the door and twilight made her way from her room. Blinking she took her first look at the Commander in her dress uniform.

The military mare had washed up and made sure her mane was styled much more then it usually was and styled so it fit under the dark Green Beret the mare wore, on the beret was a patch that consisted of a gold kite shield over two crossed swords with the letters EDF emblazoned in dark green thread on the shield, most likely the insignia of the army. The mare also wore what looked like a modified version of her normal uniform. This one having less pockets, just the two on the chest, and was trimmed in gold thread while there was gold braided cord running down the shoulders of the uniform and the whole thing looked as if it was freshly pressed.

To complete the outfit Twilight saw the mare had the two pins she always wore placed on both side of her collar and as always her sidearm was present on her flank, though the leather looked freshly oiled and the gun freshly maintained and cleaned to look as good as new.

The Commander looked twilight up and down from behind her sunglasses before she spoke. “Well then someone knowns how to look like a Princess when it counts.” She said and smiled.

“Heh thanks, it’s one of Rarity’s, she made it when she opened her boutique here in Canterlot.” Twilight explained.

The Commander nodded. “Thought it was one of hers, I may need to take a picture of it to take back with me so I can show her as she never made a dress like that when she opened her boutiques, may give her one of her ideas for a new line of dresses.”

“Boutiques? As in more than one?” Twilight asked blinking.

The Commander nodded. “Yeah she has boutiques in Ponyville, Canterlot, Manehatten and I believe she was looking to open another in either Las Pegasus or Fillydelphia, not sure if she had decided yet before I ended up her.” She explained and twilight blinked at her. “She designed the uniforms for the EDF; we are basically walking billboards for her work so her work took off like a rocket and within a couple of years she was able to open both boutiques within months of each other but she opened with different designs.”

“Oh…well that makes sense then. “Twilight said blinking several times, the more she learned about the effect the EDF had had on Equestria society the more she wanted to see it so she could compare both Equestrias. Twilight looked at her once more. “So that’s your dress uniform?” She asked and the Commander nodded. “It looks very nice.” She said.

The unicorn nodded. “Thank you Princess.” She said and glanced at the clock on the mantel piece. “Anyways shall we go? Stonewall is going to meet us there as he needed to go get his dress uniform and I’m sure your friends are ready as well.”

Twilight nodded in agreement and headed for the door and once they were outside the Commander fell in line with her as they walked towards the castles main ballroom and towards the Gala.

Author's Notes:

And of course the Commander can't do anything halfway, Equestria is getting its hooves on some EDF style troopers or as close as the Commander can make them in a short amount of time when they are already trained.