I'm back everypony, and I can't wait for you all to read my latest chapter! Last time we kind of left off on a cliffhanger, so here's to hoping you don't throw me in the dungeon for making you wait this long. *Throws chapter out of bunker like a grenade* Here, have this one on the house and I'll get to working on the next one as soon as I can. ON WITH THE BOOK!!!

The clash of metal against metal rang out over the fields behind Twilight’s castle, and I could feel the shockwaves as Swift’s earth pony strength hit me with the force of a small train. My own arms and legs were enveloped in my dark blue aura to equal the playing field, although my muscles were still getting sore from the beating they were enduring.

I swung for Swift’s head, making sure to aim a bit high in case she was unable to block, but was thwarted once more as her own sword caught mine and redirected it into the ground. Before I could react, one of her hind legs bent close to her barrel and pounded into the ground, driving her body up and over my blade in a forward flip that leveled her blade against my neck while her forelegs held my arms near the ground. I grunted as her weight settled onto my already tired limbs, bending me at the waist until my body was level with the ground and my head was pressed against her chest.

I grinned as she smirked around the hilt of her blade, “Having fun making me look like a fool?”

She pushed back and drove the tip of her blade into the ground so she could speak, “Yes, but it’s getting harder and harder to beat you each time we do this. Color me impressed, but you’re taking to swordsponyship like a duck to water.”

I straightened my aching back and grunted as one of the joints popped, “Well I’d feel a little better if you weren’t coloring me black and blue in the process.” Another loud pop echoed around the clearing, causing Swift to wince as I let out a sigh of relief, “I know this is the fastest way to train me, but do you think you could lay off the acrobatics until I get a bit better at fighting you on the ground?”

Swift rolled her eyes but retained her smile, “If I did that then I’m pretty sure you’d win more often than not. Don’t sell yourself short, you’ve already surpassed pretty much every member of the regular rank and file. The only ones who would have a chance against you now would be the commanders, and even then I think it would be a pretty close fight depending on who you fought.”

I rolled my eyes, “Yeah, and I’m pretty sure they’d be clobbering me just as much as you are right now if I tried anything like that. I’m not a fool, Swift, I know my limits.”

She waved a hoof for emphasis as she replied, “That’s because you’re going about this whole combat thing all wrong. Think about it. You’re trying to match my strength with your own and you’re losing. What can you use that I would never be able to do in a million moons?”

I raised one eyebrow in confusion, “Not sure what you mean. What can I do that you can’t? We’re both ground-bound, and I know you don’t have any magic that you can use against me other than your strength.”

Swift’s expression darkened as she took a step towards me, “You’re thinking in straight lines, Sarah, you need to think outside the box in order to beat me. Think, what can your Auramancy abilities do that I can’t?”

I held my hand against my chin for a moment, thinking on what she had said. Sure, I could increase my strength but that was getting me nowhere, so what else could I use to get the upper hand? Then, it hit me.

I snapped my fingers in realization, “I can increase my speed to outmaneuver you.” I performed a spectacular facepalm as I growled under my breath, “How could I have missed that?”

Swift smiled and picked up her sword before sheathing it, “That’s the kind of thinking that will allow you to beat the commanders in a fight. They’ll be so stuck in their ways that they won’t see stuff like that coming if you pull something out of the blue. Use that to your advantage, and you’ll be surprised what you can achieve.” She glanced up at the sun and nodded once, “Alright, I’d say we can have one more fight and then we can call it a day. We’ve been at this for almost four hours.”

I nodded, keenly aware of how my body was starting to have that ‘lived-in’ smell I hated, “Agreed. I could use some dinner if Spike has gotten things going in the kitchen.”

Swift returned my nod, “Then once more, come at me with everything you have, or this time I won’t pull my strikes.”

She drew her blade and fell into a combat crouch, allowing me to lift my blade into a guard stance as we squared off against one another. For a moment neither of us moved, as if we had been frozen in that one moment before the battle. Then, a gust of wind picked up some of the dust from the track and blew it between us, creating a split second where neither of us could see the other.

I took that moment as my chance to strike. My legs ignited in a blue and yellow glow as I sprinted to the left, taking Swift’s momentary surprise as a chance to flank her before she could counter. I came in from her right and slammed my blade against hers, ringing both our ears as the metal screeched in protest. Swift made a move to overpower me using her strength, but I disengaged and spun around behind her, causing her blade to swing through open air as the flat of my own slapped against her hindquarters.

Swift yelped in pain and shock as her tail tucked between her legs in reflex, and I laughed at the indignant blush that overcame her features as she rounded on me. She couldn’t speak with the blade in her mouth, but the murderous look she sent my way spoke volumes of how much she disliked my little trick.

I lifted my blade between us once more and grinned, “What’s the matter, Swift, don’t like it when the shoe in on the other hoof?”

She growled and charged at me, swinging in an overhead arc as she reared onto her hind legs to slam her blade into my shoulder. The blade was turned so that the flat would impact my flesh instead of the deadly edge, but it would still hurt like hell, as the various bruises on my legs, arms and back could attest.

I dodged to the side as her blade whistled past my arm, smiling to myself as her weight overextended her strike and buried the metal a good five inches into the dirt. Before she could react, I swung my blade at her own shoulder and clubbed her right leg just below the joint. Swift hissed in pain but refused to let go of her sword, shutting her eyes in concentration as she heaved back and yanked the blade free of the ground. She parried my next strike and swung back around at my real leg, forcing me to jump back or risk getting bashed upside the shin.

By this point we were both panting hard, and I could feel the sweat running down my cheeks and neck as several drops fell from Swift’s chin. We squared off for a second or two before we both lunged at one another, swinging our blades for all our worth at one another as I channeled as much power into my arms and legs as I could stand. We clashed swords and I could feel the impact in my bones as Swift grunted from the strain. We battled for supremacy for a good ten seconds before I rotated my wrist and hooked my blade under Swift’s. Her eyes widened as I jerked her head at an odd angle, forcing her to release the hilt or risk getting flipped onto her back from the rotation. I flung her sword away and leveled the edge against her neck, a triumphant smile on my lips as Swift tilted her head back to avoid the cold steel.

“Had enough yet?” I asked.

Swift smiled in return, “Alright, you got me.” She stepped back as I removed my blade from her flesh and sheathed it at my hip, “Just don’t get cocky or else somepony is going to pound you into the dirt for your trouble.”

I nodded, feeling the chill in my arms and legs that accompanied the retreat of my energy as it returned to my core, “I’ll keep that in mind. Good match all the same. I’m pretty sure I haven’t had to work that hard in a fight in years.”

Swift inclined her head and smirked, “Worked you over better than those chumps you call the army back home?”

I rolled my eyes, “Nah, just trying not to pound your behind too hard into the dirt so that way Celestia doesn’t roast my ass for beating the snot out of one of her guards.”

Swift chuckled as she walked up, bumping my hip with her own as she picked up her own sword and sheathed it, “Don’t let the commanders hear you say that. You might be getting better, but you’ve still got a long way to go before you can say you’re the best.”

I rolled my eyes, “Yes mom.” My next comment was interrupted by my stomach growling, “Now about that dinner. We were going to get something to eat once we finished, right?”

Swift nodded her agreement, even as her own stomach rumbled its accession, “I think a good meal is in order after all of that. Come on, let’s get inside and cleaned up so that way you don’t stink up the dining hall with your body odor.”

I smacked her upside the head with one hand as I fell in at her side, “Said the walking salt lick. I’m positive your fur is going to be a good deal harder to clean than my skin. Plus, I’m pretty sure you were sweating a bit more than me by the end there, Major Misstep.”

Swift tried and failed to contain the sarcasm that laced her voice, “And here we go, trash talking my skills because you managed to get one over on me for a change.” She gave me a half-hearted kick in the shin with her hind hoof, “Spare me the commentary until we finish eating, I’m too worn out to give you a good verbal thrashing right now.”

I let the kick slide, given I kind of deserved it for my little dig, and followed Swift into the castle as the smell of cooked fruits and vegetables washed over us. We both stopped dead in the doorway to smell the air, and made the unanimous decision to take a faster shower than usual as we made our way through the halls. Rule number nine in the Ranger Corps, cleanliness is godliness, but only if the CO hasn’t used up all the hot water.

As we were making our way through the castle, I began to notice something odd. My eyes had taken note of the carpet on the floor that looked an awful lot like Discord, only it seemed to be more of a prank than anything else. Yet as we walked along, I began to see more and more of them, even inside rooms that had no real business having a rug of that size. Finally, after seeing the fifth carpet in one of the side rooms, I tapped Swift on the shoulder and jerked a thumb over my shoulder to indicate the previous decoration.

“Is it just me or did Twilight put a bunch of Discord carpets all over the castle to mess with us once we got back?” I asked once she turned to face me.

The color drained from Swift’s face faster then I could blink, and a look of pure horror came over her expression as she glanced behind us and spotted the aforementioned décor.

Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as her pupils shrank to pinpricks, “Sweet Celestia, no. It can’t be him.”

“Him?” I inquired.

Swift shushed me and pushed against my back with her head as she directed me further down the hall, “Don’t say anything, don’t look at him, don’t engage with him. If he’s here then I’m sure Princess Twilight already knows, but until we can get a read on the situation, don’t interact with that carpet in any way.”

I lifted one eyebrow at her strange behavior, “You do realize you’re talking about holding a conversation with a piece of furniture, right?”

Swift apparently wasn’t paying attention to me as she bodily shoved me into my room, “Take your shower and get to the dining hall. I’ll explain once we get there. And whatever you do, don’t do anything to engage with that carpet.”

With that she sprinted off down the hall in the direction of Twilight’s library, leaving me standing in the doorway of my room with a very confused expression.

“What the hell was that all about?” I muttered to myself as I walked into my room, noting that once again, a Discord carpet was hanging out center stage on my floor.

I rolled my eyes as I walked into my bathroom, “At least Twilight’s thorough, although I don’t get why Swift was so bent out of shape. It’s just a carpet.”

“Pardon me, madam,” an all-too-familiar voice called out from behind me as I opened the door to my bathroom, “but I’ll have you know I am the best carpet in all of Equestria. Do give me some credit where it is due for diligence and commitment.”

I froze mid-step in the doorway and spun around, my eyes locking onto the carpet as it lifted its head and waved one lion paw at me, “Salutations, and welcome back.”

I growled under my breath as my mind put two and two together, “Did Sun-Butt put you up to this? Did she make you come here and act like a carpet just to mess with me and my friends?”

One eyebrow rose on the carpet’s face, “Whatever do you mean? I am a carpet, covering floors is what I do.” A look of realization seemed to cross his mismatched expression as his eyes widened, “Oh how silly of me, you must think I’m that buffoon Discord. Allow me to correct that misconception.” The carpet rose up slightly and bent one limp leg under its form in a facsimile of a bow, “Carpet Sense, at your service.”

Now it was my turn to lift and eyebrow, “Carpet Sense? Who in their right mind would come up with a name like that?”

The newly dubbed Carpet Sense shrugged, “Ask Princess Luna. She’s the one who seems to have some crazy notion that my name had to have some semblance of meaning pertaining to my purpose and personality. Frankly, I don’t see what the big deal is. I am a carpet, it’s what I do, regardless of what ponies call me.”

I relaxed slightly, feeling a little less on edge now that I had at least some idea of what was going on, “So what are you doing in Twilight’s castle? Are you some kind of crazy gift Celestia gave to her for kicks?”

Carpet Sense growled slightly, “Gift my furry behind. I’ll have you know that I am taking good care of this place, just as I am for Canterlot Castle. You would do well to remember that next time you need something done around here.”

My eyes narrowed in confusion, my shower mostly forgotten as I stepped up and knelt down next to the apparently living furniture, “So what exactly do you mean by that? Are you some kind of caretaker or something?”

He opened his mouth to reply, paused, opened his mouth again, and then closed it again as he held a claw to his chin, “You know, I never thought about it like that. I guess that’s one way you could look at it.” He seemed to come to a decision as he nodded to himself, “Yes, I like that idea. I believe you are correct, miss Sarah, I am a caretaker of sorts, although what I do exactly inside this castle isn’t much of your concern. Mostly it’s just covering the floors and keeping an eye on the place while you and the ponies go about your days.”

I nodded, starting to feel a bit more at ease around the sentient rug, “Well then I guess I’ll be seeing you around the castle. Is there anything else I need to know about you, or are you just going to lie there all day?”

One eyebrow rose as he gave me a long-suffering look, “Not you too. I thought for a moment that you wouldn’t be as dense as the ponies seem to be, but I guess I was wrong. To answer your question,” he cleared his throat like he was giving a speech, “I am a carpet, it’s what I do.”

I snickered as I stood up and turned around, calling out one last line as I walked to the bathroom once more, “Whatever you say, just don’t let me catch you lying down on the job or else I’ll have to replace you with something that can tell better jokes.”

A sigh was my answer as I closed the door, although I thought I could hear him muttering to himself as I got the water running. I smirked, knowing that messing with Carpet Sense would be a good way to keep my wits sharp, if the previous conversation was anything to go by. I almost felt sorry for my friends, but I quickly got over the feeling as I washed my hair. If they couldn’t take a little sarcasm or dry humor now and again, then getting along with me would be next to impossible compared to Carpet Sense’s little quips.

Once I was clean and fresh, I dressed in a more casual pair of jeans and a navy-blue T-shirt, hoping against hope that Swift would loosen up enough to forego her armor for once. I liked the mare better than most, but even she could get a little clingy when it came to her armor. I had yet to see her without it, and it was really starting to drive me crazy that she couldn’t be more casual around me and my friends. Then again, she was acting as my guard detail while I trained in Auramancy, so I guess she was technically required to wear it while on duty. The only problem was, she never seemed to be off duty when she was around me. I liked to have a closer relationship with my comrades in arms, such as back home when I would go out with the guys for drinks or have a poker night while at the FOB*. It was a good way to strengthen relations between members of the squad and not being able to do that with Swift was starting to rub me the wrong way.

I let out a sigh as I walked into the dining room, noting yet another Carpet Sense on the floor under the center table as I took my seat on Twilight’s right. Said alicorn was engrossed in a book, as usual, and paid me no mind as she filed through page after page. She only looked up after I cleared my throat, and even then she didn’t seem to recognize me until I lifted an eyebrow at her.

“Oh!” She seemed to pull herself out of her daze as a beaming smile crossed her lips, “Hi, Sarah. I wasn’t expecting you until later. I thought you’d be outside training with Major Blade until after sunset.”

I returned her smile, writing off her absentmindedness as just Twilight being Twilight, “Yeah, we were going at it pretty hard, so we worked up an appetite after a few hours of pounding each other into the ground.” My stomach once again made itself known, causing me to blush while Twilight hid a giggle behind her hoof, “See what I mean?”

She nodded in agreement as the door on the left side of the room opened, revealing Spike carrying a trio of plates in his claws and tail as Swift walked in through the main entrance. She was still dressed in her armor, much to my annoyance, but smiled none the less for both Twilight and myself as she took her seat on my right.

“So, what’s for dinner tonight?” Swift asked as she sat down.

Spike slid the platters onto the table in front of us and grinned widely, “It’s a special recipe of mine. Dragon-fire greens with roasted apples and a rich chili sauce for extra body.” He pulled the lids off the plates and my nose was assaulted by a blast of spices and smoky after scents as a puff of steam rose from the table.

I stared in open wonder at the food before me, feeling my mouth water as the smell permeated my mind with pure bliss. The food looked as good as it smelled, and that was saying something. Peppers that looked like they had been cooked over an open flame accompanied by sliced apples that were a rich golden brown. Top all of that off with thick bean chili and mounds of melted cheese, and I was threatening to drool on the table if I hadn’t swallowed first.

Swift and Twilight were faring no better than me, and I could see the raw pride on Spike’s face as we slowly dug into the food. The first bite sent spikes of joy straight from my mouth to my brain, and I couldn’t help the hum of enjoyment that escaped my lips as I started shoveling the food into my mouth. Swift was doing the same while Twilight watched us with wide eyes, her own food taking a subtler journey into her mouth as she tried to contain her mirth at the pair of us demolishing our dishes.

“Somepony was certainly hungry,” she said through a smirk as she took a bite of her own food, “you weren’t kidding when you said you worked up an appetite.”

Swift nodded as she swallowed her food, “You try going five hours straight pounding somepony’s flank and then talk to me about being hungry.” She jerked her head in my direction, “This one needed help getting her brain out of the rut she stuck herself into, so it took longer than I expected.”

I ignored the jab sent my direction in favor of the food in front of me, pausing mid-bite to cover my mouth as I let out a huge yawn. “Oh, ‘xcuse me. I must be more worn out than I thought.”

Twilight nodded, “Combining your physical workout with your Auramancy training has put a strain on your body that it isn’t used to. I’m shocked you lasted as long as you did before wearing out.” She smiled softly as she closed her book and set it down next to her plate, “Why don’t you head to bed and get some sleep? I’m sure you’ll feel much better in the morning if you get a full night’s rest.”

I nodded my agreement, spying Spike as he walked out with another plate of chili for himself, “That sounds great. Well,” I stood up and walked over to the door, “I’ll see you in the morning.” I tossed a two-finger salute Swift’s direction, which she returned before I walked out into the hallway and shut the door.

The journey to my room was becoming more familiar to me as time went on, and I got the feeling I was beginning to learn the layout of Twilight’s castle. I found my room with relative ease and got undressed before my mind could even process the action. My face hit the pillow and the covers seemed to fold over my body on their own as I curled up into a ball. The funny thing was, I remembered that Swift was going to warn me about Carpet Sense at dinner, but had apparently forgotten to do so. I smirked at her short-term memory and cuddled against my pillow, letting myself fall into dreamland as the soft light of Luna’s moon washed over me through the open window. The last thing I remembered before passing out was Carpet Sense wishing me a good night.

Gunfire rained down on our position while dust and sand blew through the small town like hail, narrowing visibility to nearly nothing as Sergeant Clyde “Kipper” Simmons hunkered behind a wall on my left. The wind howling around us and the machinegun storm that surrounded our position made it nearly impossible to hear the rest of my squad over the radio, and to make matters worse, we had lost contact with home base because of the damn weather. Now we had no idea where the enemy was, and without air support we were completely at the mercy of mother nature and the deadly shadows that she hid.

Kipper tapped me on the shoulder and yelled something over the wind, but I couldn’t make it out with my helmet in the way. I shook my head and signaled with my hands that verbal communication was a no-go, so he held his hand to his headset and used the radio to talk instead.

“I don’t think we can take much more of this,” his barely audible voice said into my ear, “I can’t raise the rest of the squad on the short-wave and these Talis are making it a pain in my ass to shoot them.”

I nodded, although my agreement was interrupted as more gunfire peppered our position, throwing up chunks of dirt and dust from the bricks we had taken shelter behind. I ducked down and hid as a bullet pinged off my helmet, and I watched in horror as Kipper was blasted dead center in the chest as a quartet of bullets tore his uniform to shreds. I screamed his name, even though I knew he couldn’t hear me, and I watched as he clutched his chest with both hands, his rifle falling to the ground as he fell backwards and landed flat in the dirt.

I forgot about my own safety as I raced from cover and dragged his body back into the safety of the brick wall, pressing my hands to his chest in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding. Tears of hate and pain ran down my cheeks as he gripped my hands with his own as his fingers shook from impending shock. He looked me in the eyes and smiled, even though the light was already fading from his green orbs. His last act was to pick up his rifle, sling it over my shoulder, and cup my cheek with his free hand as he mouthed out a single sentence.

“Make them bleed.”

With that, his arms fell limp and his sightless eyes stared off into the sky above my right shoulder, leaving me clutching his chest as his blood stained my gloves and sleeves red. With no time to waste, and with no way to secure his body, I did the only thing I could. I pulled his dog tags off and slipped them into my pocket, racking a round in my rifle as I stood up and saluted my fallen squad mate. With that done, I slipped away into the dust, hoping beyond hope that nobody had killed the bastard that had shot Kipper, because that slimy asshole was mine now.

Ducking through alleys and slipped behind brick walls made my movements slow going, but at least I could start to see more than ten feet in any direction. The storm was beginning to fade, and with it came visibility. Finally, I managed to find a spot where I could shoot from with relative ease, and slipped Kipper’s rifle off my shoulder so I could move a bit easier. With my sights set on the muzzle flashes ahead of me, I sighted in my scope and started taking pot shots at the Taliban that were peppering the Marines that had been sent into the town with us. I downed man after man as my rifle kicked back with each shot, the thrill of the hunt making my blood boil as I remembered Kipper’s final words.

All of a sudden, I heard screaming from my left, coming towards me at a rapid pace. I spun around and sighted in my rifle without even thinking, squeezing off the round as it pounded into the robed figure that was charging me with an AK-74 in his grip. He went down like a ton of bricks, and I was about to start shooting the other position again when something caught my eye.

I slowly stood up and walked over to the corpse, noticing for the first time that the rifle seemed to be a lot bigger compared to the body than I was used to. I knelt down and slowly lifted the headcloth off of the man, only to freeze in shock at what lay before me.

His youthful features marked him as maybe ten or eleven years old, his open mouth missing a few baby teeth as his eyes stared at the rock next to his head in abject terror. I stumbled back, falling onto my butt as I tried and failed to look away from the person, no, child, that I had just killed.

“No,” the word escaped my mouth before I could even think it, “no, no, no, no.”

My legs moved of their own volition and carried me back to the body, my arms flipping his scrawny frame with ease as my fingers pressed into his neck, searching in vain for a pulse. When it was clear that the child was dead, my mind snapped into a clarity I had never felt before. I had just murdered a child in cold blood. I had just killed a boy who couldn’t have been older than my nephew back in the states.

I turned my head to the side as my stomach heaved, my army rations making a return appearance as my puke painted the rocks on the building floor. I gagged as my gut tried and failed to keep things coming, but there was nothing left to purge, leaving me dry heaving for several minutes as my mind flashed back to the instant I shot him over and over again.

My brain was going in loops, and I could feel my mind started to shut down as the face of my nephew appeared over the face of the child. I screamed at the top of my lungs as sobs wracked my body from head to toe, and I buried my face in my hands as his blood stained my cheeks and hair. Red tears poured over my fingers, staining my pants with dots of blood as they dripped from my chin and onto my thighs. At that moment, I could have died at the hands of a bullet or knife, and nothing could have compared to the pure agony that my mind was undergoing as I cried out like I had lost my own son.

“ENOUGH!” The echoing cry shattered the dream around me, shocking me out of my frazzled state of mind and bringing me back to reality as the dream solidified into a familiar candle-lit room.

I turned to face the speaker who had intruded on my mindscape, and returned to weeping as Princess Luna walked up to me and wrapped her wings around my shaking body. I pulled her as close to me as I could, burying my face in her neck fur as tears of relief streamed down my cheeks.

She shushed me gently as she wrapped her forehooves around my shoulders, rubbing my hair gently with her cheek as we slowly rocked back and forth. “It’s alright now. That memory is gone and you have no reason to fear its return this night. We art here to ensure your pain ends, at least for tonight.”

I sniffed thickly, taking note that Luna wasn’t offended by me staining her coat with tears, “But it will be back, just as it always does.” I pushed away from Luna and turned my head in shame, “I murdered a child, Luna, you saw it. How can I ever forgive myself for doing such a horrible thing?”

She tilted my head up with her hoof and smiled softly at me, “The same way my subjects forgave me for my sins as Nightmare Moon, and how I forgave myself. Time will not erase the pain of your misdeeds, but time can help to make the pain bearable, especially with the help of those you care for, and who care for you.”

Her horn ignited and a pair of ponies formed out of the darkness at the edge of the room, taking on features that I was all too familiar with as Lyra and Bon-Bon stepped into the light.

“There are those who love you as a friend,” Luna said softly as Twilight, Swift and the other girls stepped into the light next to Lyra and Bon-Bon, “and those who love you as much more than a friend. Let them carry your burden with you, lest you fall to madness and despair as I once did so long ago. Let them support you in your times of need and do not forget that there is always strength in the love of those we hold dear.”

I wiped my eyes and nodded, even though the pain of my actions still burned in my chest like a knife, “I-I’ll try Princess.”

Luna shook her head slowly, “Nay, child, to thee, we shall always be just Luna. Unless you are uncomfortable because of this, I would like to call you a friend.”

I felt my lips curling into a smile as I hugged her again, “I think I would like that, Luna.”

Her hooves rubbed over my shoulders as her mane tickled my cheek, and I felt her hum in appreciation as the images of my friends began to fade, “Then I wish thee a good night. No more dreams of the past will haunt thee this night, and I will be sure to send a little something to remind you of how much we appreciate all you are doing for us.” The touch of her body against mine began to fade as her voice took on an echoing quality, “Pleasant slumber Sarah Lovegood, and good tidings for when thee awakens upon the morrow.”

With that, my mind slipped into the true darkness of deep sleep, and it wasn’t until my eyes opened the next morning that I realized what had happened. Luna knew my darkest secret, and she hadn’t cast me out for what I had done. I rolled onto my feet and slipped into my clothing for the day, hoping beyond hope that she wouldn’t share what she had seen with anyone. I prayed that she was right, and that my friends would accept me as I was, even after everything I had done, but I still wasn’t comfortable sharing that particular memory with anyone just yet. Maybe in the future, once all this crazy stuff with the necromancers was finished, but not now.

I walked out of my room and into the dining hall, hoping that Spike was an early riser like I was, and was surprised to see Twilight, and Swift waiting with him at the table with concerned looks on their faces.

I swallowed thickly, thinking my worst fears were about to come true, and cleared my throat to announce my presence, “Um, hi everyone, what’s going on?”

All three beings turned to face me, and I saw the unopened scrolls sitting before Twilight, tied off with a blue ribbon and sealed with Luna’s mark on the silver wax.

“We were hoping you could tell us.” Twilight replied as she picked up the scrolls in her magic and floated them over to me, “These arrived first thing this morning, and they’re addressed to you.”

“Really?” I asked, taking note of the flowing hand, er, hornwriting that seemed to dance across the note attached to the first scroll.

Please give this address to Captain Sarah Lovegood upon her awakening. It contains important information concerning her station as a royal guard instructor as well as the concerns stated previously about her need for Equestrian currency.

Taking a moment to glance at my friends, I broke the seal on the first scroll and unrolled it so I could get a look inside. I cleared my throat before reading it out loud for the benefit on the others, hoping that it wasn’t something about what had happened last night.

“To the human known as Captain Sarah Lovegood,” I narrated, “this is a formal declaration and commission upon which thou canst agree or decline the position of Captain within the Equestrian military.” My eyes widened as I heard one of the girls gasp, “Thou will be compensated for thoust time and efforts training the Equestrian army with a total of six hundred bits per week, as is standard for thoust assumed pay grade. Also included, is a hazard bonus awarded for thoust service and the risks involved concerning the enemy thou will face in the future. Should thou wish to accept this commission into the Equestrian ranks, simply sign thy name at the bottom of this scroll, and it will return to Us for proper filing. If thou dost not wish to accept this position, then simply have Princess Twilight Sparkle return this scroll unsigned and We shall look for another means to repay your service. We understand if thou needs time to take this in and think upon thy decision, but please reply within the earliest convenience so that the proper actions can be taken depending on thy choice. Happy tidings and a good morning, Princess Luna.”

I looked up from the scroll and saw that all three of my companions were staring at me with gob-smacked expressions. Luckily, they snapped out of it pretty fast as Twilight’s wings sprang open in excitement.

“Oh my gosh! I can’t believe it!” She flew over to me and enveloped me in a wing and forehoof hug, “I’m so happy for you! If you do this then you can be part of the army like my brother, maybe even serve with him when the battle against the necromancers comes around!”

I rolled my eyes but accepted the hug anyway, “I hope you realize that I haven’t decided to join up yet.” I didn’t bother telling her that I had already kind of accepted back when the princesses had visited, given she was there for that little bit too. She was a smart mare, she’d figure it out.

“So how much did you get in hazard pay?” Spike asked with wide eyes, “A few dozen bits, a hundred?”

I undid the second scroll once Twilight climbed off of me and flew back to her seat, “Let’s see, it says here that I can redeem this deposit note at any Equestrian bank for a total of,” I sputtered as I got a look at the grand total, “FIVE THOUSAND BITS?!!”

Swift performed a spectacular spit-take as she tried not to choke on her morning tea, “Say what?! The Princesses are paying you how much?!”

I flipped the note over so they could read it, “It’s all right here, with Princess Luna’s signature and everything!” I turned it back around to stare at it in disbelief, “Five thousand bits to my name and it’s all on this little piece of paper.”

We sat in silence for a moment, taking it all in as my mind tried to comprehend the sheer mass of gold I had just accumulated from the royal treasury. Then, I realized that I could use this money to by my own place. I wouldn’t have to live with Twilight anymore and I could pay for my own food instead of having to rely on my friends to get by. And that wasn’t even counting the pay from accepting the commission, if that was what I chose. Then again, it wasn’t that hard of a decision. I had already agreed to train the grunts for the royals, accepting the commission would just be icing on the cake and would give me more authority over the ponies I would be training.

Without even thinking, I plucked a feather from Twilight’s wing, earning a yelp and a dirty look for my trouble, although I found myself at a dilemma when I realized that there wasn’t any ink to be had nearby.

Twilight rolled her eyes as her horn lit up, “Fine, just remember to return that feather once you’re done with it, I don’t usually let other ponies have my feathers unless they’re really close to me.”

I nodded, dipping the quill into the inkwell before signing my name with a flourish on the commission papers. As soon as my quill left the paper, the scroll began to glow with a dark blue magic, and before our eyes it rolled itself up and disappeared with a teleportation pop. I nodded to myself, knowing that I had done what was in my own best interests, and stood up from the table.

“I’ve got something I need to do today, so I’ll see you later this afternoon.” I turned and walked out of the castle, hearing Swift gallop to catch up with me as I exited the front doors.

“So where are we going?” She asked as she fell in at my side.

“To see a pair of mares about an apology.” Was my reply.

Her eyes widened in understanding as we walked through the main streets of Ponyville, both of us waving to passerby as the inhabitants of the village went about their daily business. I had a feeling Lyra and Bon-Bon would be at Bon-Bon’s shop since it was fairly early in the day, so I led Swift up to Bon-Bon’s Sweet Delights instead of their house. I just hoped that they were willing to forgive me for what I said about them the last time we saw each other.

I paused at the front door, glancing over my shoulder at Swift for a moment as she paused in my shadow. She nodded in understanding and stepped up to the doorway, taking her post at one side while I walked through the entrance and into the shop proper. This was going to be bad enough as it was, I didn’t need the added awkwardness of having Swift standing next to me the whole time.

Bon-Bon was working the counter as I had hoped she would be, although I didn’t see Lyra at first glance. The shop was laid out much like some of the candy stores back home, with jars and glass bowls filled to the brim with sweets covering nearly every available surface. Everything from chocolate to taffy met my searching gaze, until a clearing of the throat caught my attention. I turned to face Bon-Bon, who was watching me with a narrowed gaze and a nearly invisible frown on her muzzle.

“Can I help you with something?” Her tone was warm and inviting, but the look she was giving me could have frozen molten steel if she so wished.

I felt a shiver run down my spine as her eyes bore into me, and I cleared my own throat before replying, “Um, is Lyra here at the moment? There’s something I need to talk to you both about.”

She scrutinized me for a moment, as if trying to gage what I was up to. Apparently, she wasn’t adverse to the idea of talking with me, as she ducked into the back of the shop for a moment before returning with a very floury Lyra with a chef’s hat perched upon her head.

“So, the high and mighty human has come back to tell us something after accusing us of letting our heats get the best of us. Gee, I wonder what it could be about.” Lyra’s voice was practically dripping with sarcasm, although it did earn her an elbow to the ribs from Bon-Bon.

I sat down at the counter and placed my hands together in front of me, taking a deep breath to calm my nerves before speaking, “First of all, I just wanted to say I’m sorry for assuming the worst of you two. It was wrong of me to think that you couldn’t control yourselves when I had every reason to think otherwise. I know that I messed up, and I’m willing to do almost anything to make it up to you for what I said. So as a sign of my sincerity, and as the first step to my apology, I would like to take you two out for dinner again, my treat, at any place you wish.”

Their expressions morphed from anger to uncertainty, and they shared a look before turning back to me, “Bu how will you pay for all of that?” Lyra asked, “Don’t you have to live with Twilight and Spike because you don’t have any money of your own?”

I smiled, feeling some pride in the fact that I was on the way to being self sufficient once again, “Nope. I’ve got a job now, so I can afford to pay for the meal and a whole lot more if that’s what it takes. I just want you to know that this isn’t some kind of bribery in order to buy back your trust. I just want us to put this mess behind us and work on being a trio again like we were that first night.”

Bon-Bon blushed at the memories while Lyra grinned, “Well I’m not one to shy away from free food, but I’m not going to let you off the hook just yet.” Her expression became serious as she stepped up and looked me in the eye, “You really hurt Bonnie and I when you said those things to us, so be prepared for a long, uphill climb before we completely forgive you.”

I nodded, feeling some of the weight on my chest lift as I knelt down in front of the aquamarine mare, “Think I can kick that climb off with a hug?”

She rolled her eyes but nodded all the same, “Alright, but just for a little bit.”

I wrapped my arms around her shoulders while her hooves gripped me around my ribs, and I glanced through her mane at Bon-Bon with a pleading look in my eyes. She let out a sigh and smiled as she walked up and joined our hug, and as we sat there I realized that this was something I wasn’t willing to let go of again. I cared for these mares just as they cared for me, and even though we had a rocky start, I was willing to do everything in my power to make this relationship work. Besides, who else would I have any chance with in this crazy world? I’m pretty sure a gryphon would try to dominate me, and I wouldn’t be able to stand something as hyper masculine as a minotaur. That left me with these cute ponies as possible dating partners in my new home, and frankly, I was happy with that arrangement. Sure, it was crazy to think of being in a romantic relationship with a talking equine, or multiple in this case, but compared to the other races I knew of, they were the least crazy out of all of them when it came to behavior quirks. Well, save for a few special cases like Pinkie Pie.

We broke off from the hug and sat there on the floor for a moment, just enjoying each other’s company for a while as we looked one another over for what felt like the first time. As I gazed into the eyes of the mares before me, I could swear I could feel a spark between us as we peered into each other’s hearts, and I felt my lips curling into a grin as I leaned forward. Lyra took the initiative and met me in the middle, her lips gently caressing mine as our eyes slid closed. It wasn’t a deep kiss or a truly passionate one, but it was full of emotion that something heavier wouldn’t have been able to express. We pulled away from each other, and Bon-Bon took her marefriend’s place as her own mouth connected with mine. Hers was a bit more forceful, though still tender in the right ways as she hummed in the back of her throat. I smiled as I teased the corner of her mouth with my tongue, only to start in surprise as she suddenly pulled back and pressed her hoof against my mouth.

“Ah, ah, ah,” she admonished me as a coy grin took up residence on her muzzle, “you’re still in the dog house right now, so no tongue for you until you prove yourself as our herdmate.”

I gave her an indignant pout, although the laughter in my eyes probably gave me away as I cried out in a pathetic whine, “But Bon-Bon, I wanted to kiss you like those Prench mares in the movies.”

Lyra chuckled as Bon-Bon removed her hoof from my face, “Oh don’t worry about that, Sarah. We want to do that kind of stuff just as much as you do, but a lesson must be learned about respecting the head mares of a herd, so no fun and games for you until we say you’ve earned it.”

I nodded, conceding the point as I stood back up, “Understood, then I guess I should be going. I need to get my things in order and come up with a date for our dinner. I’ve got to work around my job now, so I’ll need to figure out when I’ll be available to take you girls out for an evening.”

Bon-Bon nodded in reply, “We’ll be waiting for the news, but don’t keep us too long or we might think you’re stringing us along.”

I shook my head vehemently, “Not a chance in the world. I would never string you two along after the stunt I pulled. You have my word that I will take you two out on the town for dinner, and I will be paying for the entire meal myself as a show of my commitment to this herd.”

Lyra smiled as she tapped me on the hip with her own, “Well then you’d better get going. Wouldn’t want to lose your new job because you were bragging to us all afternoon about it.”

I rolled my eyes but took the hint, “Alright, I guess I’ll see you girls around at some point later. Until next time.”

“Until next time.” They chorused.

I walked back out of the shop and met up with Swift as she fell in on my left, her pace matching mine as we walked back towards Twilight’s castle.

“So how did it go?” Swift asked as she glanced up at me, “I assume by the grin on your face it went pretty well?”

I nodded, “I’m planning on taking them out to dinner as my apology, and they’ve got me on a short leash until I prove to them that I’m not going to betray their trust again. It’s not going to be easy or fast, but I think it’s worth it to see them happy.”

Swift chuckled, “You’re totally flank-whipped, you know that?”

I met her chuckle and raised it with a beaming grin, “If that has the same meaning as what I think it has, then you’re totally right. I’m not sure how, but those two managed to make me care for them unlike any girl I’ve ever met before. I never even knew I could feel this way about my own sex, but somehow they managed to pull it off.”

Swift gave me a lopsided grin as she bumped her rump against my thigh, “Would that night of passionate sex you had after your first date have anything to do with it?”

I could feel my cheeks burning as I kept my gaze firmly locked on the road ahead of me, “Maybe, just a little.”

Swift apparently decided she was done roasting my behind for the moment and let my comment slide, although she slid sly looks my way every once and a while as we came up to the castle entrance once more. By that time, the sun had reached its peak, and my gut was telling me it was time for lunch before we got back to training.

Needless to say, Twilight was overjoyed when I told her that I was making up with Bon-Bon and Lyra, even though I had never really told her why we had our falling out in the first place. I chose to omit exactly why we got into a fight because Spike was sitting at the table with us, so all Twilight got was the abridged version and the fact that we were now working to fix the issue. She let it go after I sent a few pointed looks Spike’s direction, but the knowing gaze she leveled on me told me I was going to share the whole story at a later date when young and impressionable ears were not around. I was fine with that, but part of me wondered why it was that Twilight was taking such an interest in my love life. Sure, she was the Princess of Friendship and all, but I thought her sister-in-law would be more up that alley, being the patron of love for all of Equestria and the Crystal Empire combined.

I let it slip from my mind as Swift and I returned to my training, and we pounded each other into the dirt until the sun was well past set. Somehow, even after learning my speed boost could outpace Swift, she was still skilled enough to keep up with me once she got my rhythm down. We parted ways and I took another shower to rid myself of the clinging dirt and sweat, falling asleep on my bed the instant my head hit the pillow, completely forgoing the sheets as my mind flipped off like a light. It was a very restful night, given I was too tired to dream, but when I woke up the next morning, I was in for a very shocking surprise. It was partly because I wasn’t going to be taking up my mantle as Captain immediately like I had thought, and because there was going to be a new addition to my training regimen that I had never imagined coming to pass.

Let me put it like this, I wasn’t the only Auramancer in Equestria anymore, and I was never going to see my new training partner coming from a million miles away. I only hoped she wouldn’t pound me into the dirt like Swift did on a regular basis, or else I’d never survive basic training, let alone the fight with the necromancers.

Author's Notes:

* FOB stands for Forward Operating Base in military lingo.

Sweet Celestia it's been a while since I updated this thing! I hope you guys aren't sore with me for making you wait this long for the next chapter. Anyways, I am planning on getting the next chapter for this book out and rolling in the next week or so, so keep an eye out for that because it's going to be a doosy. Also, finally, Sarah made up with Lyra and Bon-Bon! Now we just need to see how well or poorly things go from here. *Evil chuckle as I rub my hands together* Oh the things I could do to those three.

Anyways, enough out of me. Leave a like, follow if you want, and comment to your heart's content. It's nice to see all of you again after being gone so long, and I look forward to seeing you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.