"John, rise and shine," Shadows voice call to me in a condescending manner waking me from my peaceful slumber. Ignoring her I roll over in my bed and wrap the quilt tighter around my body. My head is killing me and my stomach feels like it's taken a brutal kick from mixing drinks the previous night.

Grumbling I swat my hand in the air, "Ten more minutes."

I hear Shadow take a step back and she mutters to someone else who is present, "He's a stubborn bastard, isn't he?"

"That he is," Spectres voice announces her presence in the room, "Why do you think his clothes are all wet?"

"Probably pissed himself or something."

"So you somehow think he pissed all over his shirt, trousers and waist coat?" Yeah Shadow... listen to your sister.

"How should we get him up?" Shadow asks.

"Lets just steal his blanket," Ha, nobody is prying this blanket from my hands... wait a minute. My eyes shoot open as I remember that I climbed into bed completely naked last night. Trying to keep hold of my bed sheets the two girls are successful at pulling them away revealing me in my birthday suit. Reaching for a pillow I hold it against my manhood as the two girls stare at me after receiving an eyeful, "Well hello," Spectre proclaims with a sly smug.

Shadow mirrors her expression as she looks to her sister, "Did somepony get lucky last night?"

Spectre shrugs looking to Shadow, "I was expecting it to look a bit more... exotic."

"Maybe he's a grower, not a shower?" Shadow suggest.

My face is blushing heavily as the two look back to me as they tilt their heads to try and look under the pillow. Standing up I keep the pillow in front of me, "Would you kindly fuck off!?"

They both look to each other until Spectre smirks as she steps closer, "Is the little guy shy?" Shadow just laughs as she brings her hoof to her muzzle.

Scowling I look between the two of them, "I'm above average, thank you very much."

Shadow lets out another guffaw as she moves to the door, "Those poor mares!" Spectre joins in with her sister as they both laugh and stroll to the door.

Once they reach the door I slam it shut behind them and throw the pillow to the floor. That's a low blow, that's like sticking a knife through my pride. Moving to my bag I immediately take out a pair of pants and put them on, browsing through the rest of my luggage I take out my guard uniform and equip it along with my armour and webbing. With my full kit now on I pick up my wet suit and take it into the bathroom where I wring them out getting rid of as much water as I can, the strong smell of chlorine water escapes from my clothing. Placing the wet clothing into the suit bag I pack the rest of the items away before picking up my new rifle and placing it over my shoulder.

Walking through the corridors I only come across castle staff as they go about cleaning up after last nights festivities. Entering the main courtyard I come across Shadow and Spectre who give a sly grin when they see me approach. Stepping up to me Shadow smirks, "Are you and your little friend ready?" Spectre releases a small chuckle as she looks to her sister.

Stopping on the spot I place all my bags together and look to the girls, "Fall in!" Immediately they both stand alongside one another at attention with sly smirks on their faces which they try desperately to get rid of, "For your lovely wake up call I think your hospitality should be extended to everyone else. When we find everyone else you are to personally carry everyone's luggage from their rooms to the train station then off load them at their rooms or homes back in Ponyville. All you can say is 'I will take your bags,' I don't want to hear another word for the rest of the day instead of that phrase and 'yes sir.' Fuck this up and I will give you two such a beasting every day for the next week, trust me when I say this, there's a whole lot of shitty punishments I can give you two. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" They both respond, the annoyance of the task clearly evident on their faces.

"Move!" Quickly they both pick up one of my bags each and start to run out the main castle gates towards the hotel where everyone is supposed to meet. As I watch them run off the frown on my face washes away being replaced with a grin, stepping off I mutter to myself, "I love being an officer," As I walk to the main gate I momentarily stop and look back to the castle, particularly towards the tower where Luna's room is. With one last smirk I take out my sunglasses and put them on before walking through the main gate and towards the hotel to meet the others.

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Returning to Ponyville we all get off the train and head to our respective homes, Shadow and Spectre got some questions when it came to them taking everyone's bags but they had the sense not to say anything whilst I was around them. Heading down the road I take a detour and head towards the site of the barracks, reaching the work site I'm surprised to see the entire building standing. With numerous worker moving in and out of the building I head to the door and catch a mare in a pink work helmet as she leaves the buildings, "How are you already done? I was told it wouldn't be finished until December or early January."

Adjusting her helmet she looks to me, "Following the attack on Nightmare Night the Princesses made this construction a high priority, we've been working around the clock both day and night to get it done."

"So is it finished?"

"Almost, the basement and first two floors have been completed apart from your office. Other then that we've still got to fully furbish the third floor. It should be another week before we are done."

Taking a step back I look over the walls of the building, it looks similar that of an old military complex consisting of large and sturdy grey bricks with the occasional barred window fitted with glass, "I'll leave you to it then," Stepping away I head down the road and into Twilight's library just as Shadow and Spectre leave after dropping off mine and Twilight's bags.

Giving me a strange look Twilight starts to unpack one of her bags, "Why exactly are they taking everyponys bags?"

"Because they're generous," Closing the door behind me I remove the rifle from my back and rest it on the central table.

Moving up to it Twilight examines it closely, "Is this to replace your rifle?"

I start to remove my webbing and armour as I look to her, "Yeah, we're due to receive them as they get produced to arm the Everfree Rangers. Eventually if they prove to be effective they will hopefully be issued to every guard to replace your outdated equipment."

"Outdated? The Griffins had only just recently developed their own rifles, we aren't that outdated."

Scoffing I turn to her, "When I first came here your army used spears and swords for combat. The Griffins had crossbows and were in the process of mass producing their own rifles for their military, the Equestrian Guard was relying on those they recovered from the war to arm their units. I'm bringing you lot into at least the twentieth century for military weaponry."

Scowling slightly Twilight steps up to me, "We shouldn't have to rely on the military to deal with our problems. We should find peaceful and diplomatic solutions to any situations which develop, the military should only be a last resort."

"Twilight diplomacy doesn't always work, it's a nice thought but every so often you have to get boots on the ground. If we asked the Taliban or Al-Qaeda nicely to stop fighting there would be zero chance of that happening."

Turning Twilight goes back to her bags, "We shouldn't seek to actively fight anyone either, it will do nothing but cost lives."

"Next you'll be telling me that everyone deserves a second chance."

"Everypony makes mistakes, sometimes a second chance will allow them to atone for their mistakes."

Rolling my eyes I pick up my bags and head for the stairs, "We're just going to keep going in circles," Reaching the top of the stairs I place my bags at the foot of my camping bed, after weeks of having a cushy double bed to myself sleeping in this is gonna take some adjustment. Leaving my bags I head back downstairs and grab my rifle along with the armour and webbing, "I've got to arrange training sessions, I'll see you later."

Leaving the library I stroll down the street towards town hall, as I pass through the roads I still see a significant guard presence following the events of Nightmare Night. Climbing the steps I walk straight through the main lobby and into our office to find Dawnstar along with another guard. Turning to face me Dawnstar smiles, "Good to see you, John. How have you been?"

Approaching my desk I lay my armour and rifle on the surface, "I'm hung over and incredibly cranky thanks to a late night, other then that I'm peachy," Sitting at my desk I lift my feet and rest them on top, "Have we got any grub?"

Looking to her side Dawnstar levitates a small plate over to me with two pieces of buttered toast and a half eaten slice, "You can have the rest of mine, I'm not particularly hungry," Taking the plate I put a slice in my mouth and chew on the bread, it's a little cold but I'll live.

The guard steps in front of me and salutes, "Sir, I'm Lieutenant Venture, I have been assigned to be your second in command for the Everfree Rangers."

Raising an eyebrow I rest the plate on the table, "I was told I would be receiving a Second Lieutenant. What are your duties?"

"The Princesses realise that you will be too focused on various operations which will distract you from general guard duties within Ponyville, sir. I'm here to command the guards and new recruits that are assigned to your unit leaving you available to operate as you see fit, I'm also here to assist you with anything you may require."

Biting on a piece of toast I look him over, he is a chocolate brown Pegasus with a sky blue short cropped mane and tail with a cutie mark of what appears to be an orienteering map. Nodding my head I get up from the desk and approach him, "Sounds good to me, I didn't join to act as an RMP. How many additional members to the unit have we got then?"

Moving his hoof underneath his wing he pulls out a roster and presents it to me, "Well there's us two as the commanding officers, your team of eleven and thirty guards, so the unit will consist of forty-three soldiers and one civilian employee."

Unrolling the scroll I look over the various names and skills of the guards under my command. Running my fingers over their specialist training I let out an annoyed groan, "Forty-three soldiers and not one of us is a combat medic, that's a fucking piss take."

"That's not ideal, sir," The Lieutenant agrees as he looks over the roster with me.

Turning my head to him I pass the roster back to him, "Don't bother with the 'sir' crap around me, I'm not bothered with formalities."

"No offence, but is that really wise? Due to the number of units you are receiving shouldn't you have discipline and control within your unit?"

Groaning I run my hand over the bridge of my nose, "I'm not much of a fan of being addressed as 'sir' constantly but I suppose you're right, it is my rank and I am now a CO so I may as well embrace it. Very well, if they aren't a member of my fire team then they will address me correctly unless I tell them otherwise."

"I'll keep them in shape, sir. I'll take care of any guard duties, if anything comes up and I think it requires your attention I shall inform you immediately."

"Thank you," Picking up the last of my slice of toast I finish it off as I sit back in my chair, "First order of business then, make sure yourself and all new members of the unit see Rarity at Carousel Boutique and Forge at the blacksmiths to receive your new uniforms and armour, tell them to send the bill to myself and I'll sort everything out financially. Secondly make sure all the guards meet me here at 16:00 hours for a meeting, we will arrange a training session tomorrow to introduce everyone to the new rifles for when they arrive over the coming weeks."

"Yes, sir," Giving one final salute the Lieutenant leaves the office closing the door behind him. Taking out a scroll I write down a request for a combat medic for the unit, I'm having an infirmary in the barracks so I'm gonna need my own medical staff. Other then that I also write an update to Luna with regards to the construction of the barracks informing her that it should be completed in the following week. Before I send it off I consider writing a message to her about the previous night but decide against it. It would be best to discuss that sort of stuff in person rather then through a letter.

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With everyone gathered at the meeting I was able to introduce myself and the rest of my team to the guards who had been stationed in Ponyville during my absence, the Lieutenant also presented all of the guards to me so I at least knew their names. I wasn't fond of having them address me a sir but I suppose as long as my team don't start doing it then I'll be alright, I know I'm an officer I don't need reminding of it every time someone speaks.

Whilst I was away the Diamond Dogs which remained were either imprisoned if they had an active roll in the attack, where as the others were made to relocate. Once they left Ponyville the tunnels were sealed off with regular patrols inspecting the new gates to insure nobody returned. The Diamond Dogs were to be relocated to a larger settlement which was granted to them decades ago by Celestia just to the south of the Macintosh Hills on the edge of the 'Mysterious South'... weird name but I guess the Equestrians never had a reason to expand their territory outside of the current borders.

With all the introductions completed and everyone up to speed on upcoming events I prepared a training session for everyone on the following morning to teach everyone within the unit military drill and how to operate and function the new rifles. I was able to convince Applejack to allow us use of one of her fields for rifle training, seeing as winter was right around the corner she didn't have as much work to complete on the farm so we wouldn't be interrupting her from her work.

We spent a good two hours going through basic marching and parade drills, it took the new guards some time to get used to the new commands but once they had it down they were as good as any other unit back home. On top of that I ran through some basic fitness tests with them all to see if they required a good fitness program.

To do that I used an old recording I had on my phone of the bleep test but in typical army fashion I couldn't give them something so easy, borrowing a few water containers I filled them up and made the unit take turns carrying them as they carried out the bleep test. In selection you only have to carry two 20kg jerry cans for a distance of 150m, the requirement for the bleep test as an officer when I was at Sandhurst was level 10.2 over a distance of 20m running back and forth. I decided to combine the two and make them carry the two 20kg weights in the position of their saddlebags as they did the bleep test. I did this a couple of times when myself and my mates were bored in Afghanistan to earn bragging rights, it may sound easy but carrying that weight as you constantly stay on the move and having to increase your speed at the end of each level will tire you out.

To be fair they did quite well, many of them passed it however they looked knackered after completing the test but I'm guessing due that to the difference between our two species anatomy they were more comfortable carrying that weight in saddlebags compared to a human holding a can in each arm. Once they've all completed the test I allow them to take a few minutes to hydrate and to recover a bit before we moved on.

Looking over them all as they sit in various groups along the grass. Passing Chaser he asks me, "How come you didn't do the test?"

I step up to him and pat his sweat matted mane, "Because I'm an officer, nobody here is gonna order me to do it."

He pushes my hand away, "So you're going to be a Rupert?"

Cocking a brow I step up to him and fold my arms, "Did any of your drill instructors during basic ever do the exercises with you other then running or flying?"

Pausing he looks to the sky as he tries to think, opening his mouth he stops before meeting my gaze again, "I've got nothing."

"Exactly, we've already done it otherwise we wouldn't be in this job, I've got no reason to do them."

Raising his hoof he prods my stomach, "I don't know, I think spending weeks enjoying fancy food has made you lose your edge."

Swatting his hand away I scowl at him, "I've not lost it."

With a smirk he lays back on the grass, "Prove it."

"I'm not doing a jerry can bleep test."

"Then do something else. Prove to us you're not some old fuddy duddy."

With a deadpan expression I shake my head, "fuddy duddy? Really?" Chaser continue to smirk as he looks up to me, "Fine then," Taking off my webbing and armour I rest them on the floor as I step past the group and move to one of the trees nearby. Reaching my arms up I test out the strength of one of the outstretched branches, satisfied that it will support my weight I take hold of it and begin a number of pull ups. As I lift my weight I move my shoulders down and back simultaneously with my elbows to lift my chin over the branch, not many people like this exercise but after being stuck in an EOD suit for a period of time you'll want to work on building upper body strength to be able to carry the heavy kit.

After a number of minutes my arms begin to strain, looking to the group who are now watching me I focus on chaser, "Happy?"

Shrugging he steps back, "I suppose you aren't completely useless."

"Oh, thanks," Releasing the branch I land on my feet and move back to my kit, not wanting to slap a piece of armour on I just fit the webbing for the time being. Moving to the Lieutenant I hold out my hand for him to present me with the rifle which was adopted for ponies which Sunny used during our initial demonstrations, "Fall in."

Once everyone is in position in front of me I hold the rifle in the air to allow them to view it, "This is going to become your new baby, you will take good care of it and ensure it remains clean and in working order, take care of it and it will take care of you. Everyone here will have the honour of being the first soldier within the Equestrian military to be equipped with the Valkeyrie Mk 1 bolt-action rifle."

"It's just a hunk of wood," A voice calls out from within the group.

I rest the rifle against my shoulder and glance over everyone, "Okay smart-arse, step forward," After waiting a moment nobody moves from the crowd, "You've got five seconds to be directly in front of me otherwise everyone here will be doing the jerry can bleep test again until everyone passes it! Nobody is going to thank you for that!" Everyone shuffles slightly with an annoyed expression on their faces, "One... two..." A black Unicorn stallion leaves the rank and steps in front of me at attention, "Name and rank?"

Giving an irritated glare he shuffle slightly, "Corporal Sentinel... sir," I can hear the disgust in his voice with having to address me formal. Wait a minute... I recognise that voice from somewhere, that death glare also seems familiar.

Leaning closer to him I mutter quietly, "Say 'get moving human'."

Without moving his body he responds, "Get moving human."

It's him... I fucking knew it! Somehow I've got the shit sack of a soldier who was at my trial... time for some payback. Smirking I stand straight again, "Well isn't this a peachy reunion? I was wondering if I'd see your lovely self again," Bringing the rifle around I strike the butt of the rifle into his chest knocking the air out of him as he stumbles forward. As he tries to regain his breath I look to the others, "As you can see this 'hunk of wood' can be used as a club if needed, of I can attach a bayonet to the end effectively making it a spear."

Groaning the Corporal stands back up slowly. Raising my hand I point to a dirt mound with numerous bottles placed in front of it act as a makeshift firing range, "Stand alongside that wine bottle other there," As he slowly makes his way over to the bottles I turn to the others, "This rifle will be able to kill your enemies at range before they get close enough to strike you, I have no doubt in my mind that this will be able to easily out range the Griffin rifles."

Pulling the bolt to the rear I load a magazine into the rifle showing everyone in front of me how it operates, with the magazine locked in place I push the bolt forward and secure the round. Looking over to the Corporal I raise my rifle in his direction and aim down the sights.

PHAT

The bullet shatters the bottle directly next to him propelling small glass fragments onto him as he jumps away from it and stares wide eyed at the bottles remains and the dust cloud rising from the impact site. Ejecting the cartridge I turn to the others, "As much as I'd love to shoot that prick I would more then likely end up in prison. Over the next couple of days I'm going to train you in small groups to show you how to fully maintain and operate the rifle, you will all be issued on as soon as they are manufactured and arrive from Canterlot. My team will be the first lot to be trained as we will be going away on deployment in January, everyone else will receive a training date and time. In the mean time see the Lieutenant for guard assignments. fall out!"

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The training took place over the next few days, by the end of the week everyone was able to effectively operate the rifle. The only issue it had was when it came to a Pegasus trying to operate it from the air, they couldn't exactly fire it while moving so they would be forced to remain stationary in the air in order to get off a shot. Sure Strike wasn't too thrilled with the rifle as he preferred the 'up close and personal' style of fighting, much to his annoyance I still made sure he could operate the rifle and I made sure he realised that like it or not he would be issued with one. I'm not a total bastard though, to compromise I stressed that he will still primarily be a close quarters fighter and will carry out quick strikes from the air, I just wanted him to have a rifle on him just in case the situation arises.

Today is the day, after nearly two months of high priority construction the barracks has finally been completed, I suppose in some areas magic does make up for the lack of major industry. As my team strolls down the road I listen to them as they idly discuss the new barracks.

"I call the biggest room," Chaser chimes.

"You can't have the biggest room," Georg adds.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm bigger then you so I get the largest room."

Chaser gives a small scoff, "I'm a Sergeant, I get the bigger room."

"That's hardly fair," Crimson calls.

"Doesn't need to be fair, I'm a higher rank."

Sunny snorts, "You're turning into John, soon you'll become a Rupert like him."

Turning my head I face her, "You do realise I'm standing right here, right?"

Shrugging she looks ahead, "I know."

Dawnstar looks to the others, "If you're going by rank then shouldn't John get the biggest room? He is a Captain."

Janine joins in, "He is the biggest as well."

Chaser tries to run off ahead, "He won't get it if I get there first."

The others look to me with en expectant look as Chaser races off ahead. Cocking a brow Silver steps alongside me, "Aren't you gonna stop him?"

I shake my head, "Nah, I've already got my own private office and bedroom which is bigger than the rest. You lot can all fight over the rooms... after we have a tour of the barracks."

Once we reach the main door I find Chaser trying to get it open but failing miserably. Turning around he looks to me, "It's locked."

I start a slow sarcastic clap as I stroll to the door, "Really? Did you think I'd leave the front door to a military base unlocked when nobody is here?" Taking out one of the four keys which were manufactured for the door I put it into the lock and open the door. Stepping into the front lobby we get our first look at our new home. On each wall is a set of tall double doors which are currently open, the left door leading into a canteen and kitchen area with numerous cooking utensils and strong wooden tables capable of seating ten at each. To the door at the front I can see a fully stocked medical bay including surgical equipment, beds for those being treated and a small medical storeroom, not exactly useful at the moment since we don't have a medic but at least we have this room ready to go.

Heading through to the right we pass a desk which is built into the wall allowing guards to speak to some of those who enter the barracks from the first open office, from here members of the public are allowed to speak to the guards for any issues within the town. Desks and chairs are spaced out at equal intervals along with filing cabinets to contain basic documentation templates for any investigations, I won't have to worry about this side too much as it's the responsibility of the Lieutenant to run the guards. Heading down the next corridor there is a large open room on the left with an intelligence board to conduct any formal briefings which would be required. At the very end of the corridor there is a set of stairs which leads both up and down.

Heading to the basement first we come across a locked steel door, using one of my keys I'm able to open it however due to its weight it takes a little effort. Straight ahead is a set of cells allowing four individuals to be held in custody along with a small room for interrogations, separated with solid bricks wall they have steel cage doors so prisoners can be observed by the guards to ensure they aren't doing anything stupid whilst they're locked up. On the left there is another steel door with a small grate window, looking through I can see a wide variety of weapon and armour racks containing standard issue armour and swords for the guards. On the right side of the main room is a standard door which has access to a small lab containing chemicals and other various materials for Dawnstar to continue any research.

Heading back up the stairs we make a quick walk through of the first floor, at the staircase there is a open office for guards to conduct investigations away from the public who are in the building. On either side of the corridors there is a number of rooms for shared accommodation, each room contains four beds along with individual wardrobes and weapons chests for those who use the beds. A table sits in the centre of the room near a small fridge and pantry for guards to house their own food, at the side of the rooms there is also an en-suite toilet and shower. Overall it's not too bad, I've seen worse accommodations at barracks around England.

At the end of this floor I find three private offices, the left door has the symbol of the Luna Guard with Lieutenant Venture's name etched onto a silver plaque. The door on the right has Luna's cutie mark, she did say she wanted an office for when she was in town so it makes sense to have a permanent one for when she's here. Finally the symbol on the centre puts a massive smile on my face, etched onto a golden plaque is the outline of the Union flag with my name and rank below it. Heading into my office I find a large mahogany desk sitting in the centre of the room, the walls are filled with various book shelves and paintings of the Guard. My own personal armour and weapon rack sit in the one corner of the room, the other corner has a small liquor cabinet filled with a variety of drinks.

At the back of the office there is another door which leads to my private bedchambers. Inside is a bed designed specifically for me, I've never been able to lay flat on the beds here without having my feet sticking over the edge but now I finally have a bed I can fit in. Hanging on the wall behind my bed is a Union flag which has been crafted for me, I'm guessing they thought I'd like something to remind me of home. Designer furniture fills the room with a wardrobe and sofa against the one wall and a fireplace resting along the other. On the side wall is my own personal bathroom, this office will serve as a good home until I'm finally able to purchase my own house.

Heading onto the second and final floor we come straight into a common room. The room is filled with tables and many seats to allow guards to relax and socialise after their shifts. I ensured that this room was stocked to provide entertainment for those in the unit, an open bar for those who are off shift so they can have a few drinks, a pool table to allow them to challenge each other to a game and a small poker table to allow them to engage in card games as they share stories. Down the main corridor it leads to the private rooms my team were discussing earlier, there is one for each of them whilst they are stationed here.

Following our tour of the base I let them loose to claim whichever room they can get to first. Letting them all settle in we spend the rest of the night in the common room as the rest of the guards come in throughout the day to examine their new barracks. Letting everyone have the rest of the day off we spend the night drinking the night away.

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The week passes with little to nothing of interest taking place, we've spent the entire week continuing with our rifle training, getting general guard duties up and running along with new uniform and armour requests being sent to Rarity and Forge. Rarity was happy for the additional work, this time however she was receiving payment from the royal treasury on account of her now being the official tailor of the Everfree Rangers. The armour would take some time to be produced but for the time being the guards were mixing the new uniform with their old armour.

I'm sifting through numerous pieces of parchment on my desk ranging from supply estimates to various minor incident reports from the day and night watches when I hear a short tap near my office doorway. I look up to see Sunny standing at attention as a scroll levitates alongside her, the guard stationed outside my office giving her a quick glance. Dropping the parchment I look to her, "I was told the Lieutenant would be handling all this guard crap, yet here I am sifting through all this fucking paperwork. All that happens here is minor disagreements over vendor stands and the occasional drunk from the tavern."

Stepping into my office she levitates the scroll over and lets it rest on my desk, "This just came for you from the castle, sir."

Scowling I pick up the scroll, "You don't need to bother with calling me that, we've been over this."

Sunny's stance relaxes as she moves alongside me to peek at my paperwork, "You did say to the Lieutenant that the guards should refer to you in that manner. With one being present I thought it would be best to do so, we can't have total anarchy in these barracks," The guard in the open door shuffles slightly when he hears himself being mentioned.

"I don't give a fuck if they hear you call me by my name, you're allowed to. Besides, a little anarchy brings plenty of fun with it," Picking up the scroll I examine the seal and run my thumb over it, Princess Luna's seal. Peeling it away with my thumb I unroll the scroll and look through its contents. Smirking I look to Sunny, "Looks like Luna finally got my message, she'll be dispatching another guard for the unit," I look closer at the skills listed. Is she taking the piss? "I don't know if the Princess is playing a practical joke or if she is dumping this one on us. Apparently she is skilled in recon, tracking and... water divining? I asked for a fucking combat medic."

Sunny scoffs, "Water divining? That's a very outdated method for obtaining water," Lifting her head Sunny looks to the doorway, "Well I'm sure we can stick this guard in one of the joint accommodations with the..."

Sunny suddenly stops as I look further into the scroll, "Luna's wording in this letter.... Christ almighty. At least she's 'good with knives', I suppose it's kind of a medical skill," Dropping the scroll I lift my head to find a pair of blue eyes staring into mine causing me to jump back in my chair, the surprise almost causes me to draw my pistol until my brain finally catches up, "How the hell did you get in here? This floor is supposed to be restricted."

The pitch black Thestral slowly moves back from my desk as her eyes remain locked on mine for a few seconds longer, "Just partaking in a little anarchy, Capitaine," Her accent has a French tone to it, I guess I've come across German here it was only a matter of time before another language slipped into the mix. She speaks with a soft voice, "To answer your question I am Slicer Jen. I came direct from Canterlot, made my way as the crow flies and walked straight into your office."

As I stand up to get a better look at my new guard Sunny scowls at the guard who is posted outside my office as he looks through into the office, all he offers in response is a confused shrug as to how she got in. I glance back at the scroll and find the recruits name as I step around the desk to inspect her. She is jet black with some indigo tones. To my surprise she has no wings, from what I've read about their species this is apparently a rare deformity amongst Thestrals.

"Slicer Jen?" I scoff, "You've probably got a knife as a cutie mark or some shit. I requested a combat medic yet it appears I got the exact opposite as you seem to lack any medical training."

Her left eye twitches from the non-medical comment. She replies softly, "I believe you didn't finish reading the communique. It would be a shame to not read the last skill."

Shaking my head I look over to the list and read the last part out loud, "'Good with drugs.' I hardly think that-" A sudden thump to my side catches my attention, turning my head I find Sunny slumped over on the floor unconscious. As I pivot to look to Slicer Jen I feel something warm trickling over my left hand, raising my hand I find my own blood trickling over the back of my hand from a thin cut. My mind suddenly slows as I start to feel nauseous, losing control of my body my legs give way causing my to fall backwards onto the wooden floor. With my blurred vision my eyes lock onto the Thestral who I find with a dark blade in her mouth which she must have somehow hidden it against her coat, wiping the blood off the blade with a white cloth she drops it into a duffel bag.

Taking a metal tin with a medical symbol on the lid she steps up to me and drops the case on my lap, somehow the dipshit of a guard outside hasn't noticed what has happened inside as the door has been pushed to. With a calm voice she leans closer to me, "Looks to me that you need a doctor, Capitaine," Taking a needle out of the first aid kit she threads an thin piece of thread through as my eyes finally close.

After an unknown period of time my eyes finally open as I choke from the smell from some smelling salts Spectre is holding underneath my nose. Sunny is also awake as she offers me her hoof to get up, pushing it away I climb to my feet as Spectre joins Shadow as they both eye Slicer Jen sternly. That fucking bitch just attacked me. I'm tempted to beat seven shades of shit out of her until I glance to my hand, examining it closely I seem to find no trace of a cut, I have to run a hand over where the cut was in order to feel a set of incredibly thin stitches. Okay... maybe she is medically trained, not to mention she seems to be effective at stealth.

Stepping up to her I immediately bring my hand back and force it across the side of her face as I punch her, "Don't you ever do another fucking stunt like that or I'm gonna put a bullet between your fucking eyes!" She licks her lip clearing the blood away as a result of a cut on her bottom lip from the punch. Picking up her bag she places it onto her back above her cutie mark, looking at it I'm able to see a silver caduceus except the staff has been replaced with a jagged dagger. A caduceus? Shouldn't it be a Rod of Asclepius?... I suppose either one or the other is used back home in different countries, still seems odd to me though.

Frowning I run my hand through my hair, "How the fuck did you manage that?"

"When you are different like me you learn to move differently than the others. If you don't want me I will carry the dismissal paperwork back to Canterlot myself. If you are keeping me, I have no qualms sleeping in an attic," Smirking she glances to Shadow, "I trust you can show me there, Shadow?"

Raising an eyebrow I fold my arms, "We've got free beds."

"I'd prefer the attic."

"Loft," I correct her, sometimes the American dialect gets on my nerves. Raising my hand I point to Shadow, "Show her to the loft then." As Shadow and Slicer leave the office I rest my hand on Spectre's shoulder and whisper to her, "Do you and your sister know her?"

Spectre nods, "We were stationed with her before we came to you."

I watch as Slicer makes her way down the corridor, she stop at various rooms as she occasionally sniffs them before moving on, "She's a weird one, isn't she?"

Spectre nods her head slightly, "She's... tolerable."

"Meaning?"

"She's tolerable," Spectre repeats.

Shaking my head I move back to my desk, "Thanks for your amazing insight. Keep an eye on her, if she acts strange I want to know about it. I don't exactly trust her after that little performance."

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After that little show I decided to continue with the rest of my paperwork in peace. With the door closed I'm leaning back in my chair with a scroll held up in front of me in the one hand and with a cup of coffee in the other hand. It's times like this I wish I had a more senior officer here, I used to be able to pass duties up or down the chain of command, with myself being the senior officer that leaves me at the top of the chain which means I get the joy of paperwork.

As I take a sip of my coffee I hear the door creak open from the other side of my scroll. Resting the mug back on the table I let out a shallow groan, "I'm busy... bugger off."

Luna's voice calls out from the doorway, "Well if your too busy I can always come back another time."

Dropping the scroll I immediately lift my head to find her in the doorway with a soft smile on her face, "Crap... sorry, I didn't realise it was you."

Letting the door close behind her Luna moves over to the chair at the side of the room and sits down, "I brought you a little house warming present," With her magic she lifts a bottle of absinthe and rests it on my desk.

Smirking I pick it up, "I've got a stockpile of booze now," Getting up from my chair I place the bottle in a free slot within my liquor cabinet, "As much as I'd enjoy a drink I'm afraid I'm on duty. How are you?"

"I'm well, I've just been a little preoccupied with the Griffin Empire. They seemed a little surprised that we stopped our orders for their rifles."

"Do they know we've made our own?"

"Not yet, I'm sure they'll be surprised to see a unit turn up at their doorstep with a different rifle then theirs," Pausing Luna looks over to the door, "So did you receive your new combat medic?"

Scoffing I sit back into my desk chair, "You mean the medic with no medical skills on paper? Yeah, I got her. She gave a little... demonstration of her abilities."

"She is a little eccentric. That's why I sent her to you, if anyone can help her to develop to work with others and as part of a team it's you."

Picking up my mug I lean back in my chair, "In the mean time I've got someone who likes to cut people like a common chav."

Luna pauses as her eyes widen, "She didn't demonstrate on you, did she?"

"Yeah, not to mention Sunny as well. I punched her for her troubles though."

Smirking Luna rolls her eyes, "Do you solve everything by hitting it?"

I shrug, "It works wonders. It's like the old movies about Soviet technology, if it doesn't work then smack it. A lesson every engineer has taken to heart."

Getting up Luna takes an opportunity to look around my new office, raising her hoof she runs it along the spines of various books as she passes the book shelf. I keep my eyes focused on her as she moves around the room, my eyes drift slightly down her body to look at her form before I regain my senses to raise my eyes. My mind wanders back to that night a few times trying to make sense of it. What did it mean to her? Was it just a snog, or did it mean more?

As soon as I open my mouth to speak Luna turns back to me causing me to pause. After a moment she steps up to my desk, "John? That night at the Gala... did it... mean anything to you?" Her hoof prods nervously at the floor.

Holy shit, was she thinking the same thing as me? She beat me to the punch. Resting my mug on the desk I look to her, "It certainly meant more to me then just a drunken kiss."

A small grins appears on Luna's face, "So it wasn't just the alcohol talking?" She asks, hope filling her voice. I shake my head getting a larger smile before she tries to hide it as she clears her voice, "Okay, I was just checking," Is she really trying to play it cool? Stepping back she give a quick glance to the door, "I suppose I shall leave you to it, you've clearly got a lot of work to get through."

I sit there momentarily as she moves for the door, "Luna, wait a minute," As she stops to look to me I rise from my seat and move around my desk. Pausing we just look to one another, a feeling of nervousness builds in my stomach as I prepare myself for what I'm about to ask, "How about we... go out sometime?" Fucking smooth... I am the king of suaveness, I even put James Bond to shame.

Luna looks to me for a moment, "Go out? Do you mean like a... date?" A faint blush is present on her cheeks.

"Yeah... maybe we could go and see a movie or go out for dinner."

A warm smile spreads over her muzzle, "Yes, I'd like that," She pauses temporarily as she looks to the floor, "I'm afraid that it would probably be best if we kept this between us though, there is no telling how everypony else will react when they learn their Princess is going out on a date with the only human in Equestria."

"Who are you worried about?"

"The nobles weren't in favour of adopting your tradition, once they learn of this they will do a lot to express their disgust. I'm not worried about them though, I can deal with a few nobles, I'm more concerned about my sister."

I arch an eyebrow, "Celestia? Why her?"

"If she was to learn of this then there is no way to tell how she'll react, she may support us or she may even denounce us for our actions. I don't want to cause any problems for her, if others learn that we are involved then they may claim that I am unfit to rule. They'll see you as trying to get power and influence by trying to manipulate me, they are already worried about you being a Captain, having a Princess at your side will only reinforce their view."

Pausing I look to her, "Is there a way to keep things under wrap?"

Luna's gaze meets mine, "I know a spell to temporarily change my appearance, it's not easy but I can keep it up for at least a couple of hours. I've used it a few times to blend into the crowds and to experience life in Equestria upon my return, lets just say I learnt a lot of new things about Equestria by using this spell. I may look a little different when we meet but it will work."

"I can live with that," When she smiles a sudden thought creeps into my mind, "What about the guard who saw us in the pool?"

"Don't worry about him, I've already had a word with him."

I arch a brow, "What did you do?"

An innocent smile spreads on Luna's muzzle, "I just reminded him that I possess the power to view everyone's dreams and that I have seen stuff in his dreams he wants to keep hidden from others."

Chuckling I shake my head, "Remind me not to piss you off then, you'll just invade my dreams and tell everyone my darkest fantasies."

Opening the door Luna calls to me as she walks through and down the hall, "Shall we say... Wednesday at 19:00?"

"Sounds like a plan," I call back to her before the door closes. With a dumb grin on my face, I move back to my desk and relax into the chair.

I've got a date... I wouldn't have expected that when I first came to Equestria.

Author's Notes:

If anybody wishes to learn of the origins of Slicer Jen, then a story has been created to explore the characters background prior to joining the Rangers.

https://www.fimfiction.net/story/359691/what-am-i