“Hey, somepony get Marked a coffee!”

I snorted awake at the sound my name and the accompanying laughter. After glaring at some members of my regiment, my look sending the slackers running, I smoothed my mane out and looked around.

Ponyville station was a bustling hub of work as ponies left and right offloaded supply crates from the Canterlot-sent chariots. As I went to recall the time that the rest of the crates would be arriving, the whistle of a green steam engine, just now pulling into the freight loading dock, went off. I yanked up my clipboard from the empty crate I’d been leaning against and checked off the train’s arrival from the list. Spitting the clipboard’s chained-pen from my mouth, I put the clipboard down and watched as ponies slowly began to peter off from the area around the chariots to unload the steaming hauler. Satisfied, I leant back against the crate again and squeezed my eyes shut.

“It’s too early for this,” I grumbled. Just as I felt myself dozing off into the comforting embrace of sleep, I felt a hoof give a harsh prod to my chestplate. Flashing one eye open lazily, I spotted Golden’s yellow hoof wrapped around a porcelain mug, the cup steaming with black liquid. Standing upright and opening my other eye, I looked down at Golden. “I’m not a fan of coffee.”

“I don’t care.” She pulled one of my front hooves up in a burst of lime-colored magic, then not so gently shoved the mug into my hoof. “What do you want with it? Sugar? Cream?”

I frowned at Golden, unmoving. “If I’m going to drink the liquid equivalent of unsweetened chocolate, then I’m not even going to try and fix it with diabetes.” I lifted the brew to my lips, cooled it for a moment, then took a sip. I shivered, already feeling the effects of the caffeine. “Celestia help me; coffee sucks.”

Levitating a mug of light brown coffee, Golden took a sip of her own. “Why, because it wakes you up, sleepyhead?”

“Your ability to successfully tease me eludes you.” I rolled my eyes and continued. “No, that part of coffee is great, it’s just the crash that comes later.”

Golden looked ready to make a rebuttal against my statement, but she must’ve seen the look on my face. “That bad, huh?”

“I drank coffee to stay up for an inspection back at the academy years ago.” I took a sip of the coffee and swilled it around my mouth before I swallowed it. “I think the lieutenant’s words were that I had ‘dropped like a vegetable in a wheelchair going down a flight of stairs.’”

“Wow… I um... yeah. Yikes.”

“I woke up in the medbay six hours later. Had a migraine worse than the hangover I had at a party when I first enlisted.” Another splash of hot coffee sank down my throat. I eyed the mug and swirled it with a circular motion. “I’m gonna go pour out the rest of this.”

“No, don’t!” I paused, eyeing the mare questioningly. “I’ll drink it!”

Shrugging, I took one last long pull from the black coffee and gave her the rest. Watching with morbid curiosity, I witnessed Golden down her original drink in one go, then chug the rest of my coffee. Gasping, the mare lowered my mug. She gave me a maniac grin as a small dribble of the black liquid slid down her chin.

I stared.

“Thank Celestia for her gifts; I love coffee.” My stare intensified on the line of black liquid. “Uh, captain?” Golden looked herself over. “Is there something on me or—oh.” Blushing, she wiped the liquid away. “Woops!”

Shaking my head, I took a step back and quickly wiped a small collection of drool from my lower lip. “That was weird. Don’t ever do it again without my permission.”

“Okay, sor—wait, why would you have to give me permission to—”

I waved a hoof. “No, no.” Setting my hoof down, I eyed my assistant carefully. “So you wanted to know why I said I didn’t want to be a captain, right?”

Golden’s confusion was swift; recognition dawned on her. She spoke as she set emptied mugs off to the side. “Oh, right. Yes, I would like that.”

I released a breath I hadn’t known I’d been holding and looked out over the working ponies. “It’s because of who my parents are.”

She blinked slowly. “What, did they force you to do it?”

“Nah, well, I mean sort of?” I scratched my head with a hoof. “My dad wanted me to sign up with the guard because he wanted me to show how strong earth ponies could be, but my mom…” I chewed on my lip in deep thought, thinking of the best way to explain my mother’s motives. “My mom’s a tribalist; she didn’t want an earth pony working with the unicorns and pegasi under the will of an alicorn.”

“Why?”

“Sorry?”

“Why would your mom not like Princess Celestia, or unicorns and pegasi for that matter? Sorry if it’s a bit personal.”

“Nah nah it’s fine.” I sighed; I knew I was going to have to reveal the truth at some point. “My family’s from Halihoof.”

“Oh!” She was surprised, but it quickly reverted back to a questioning tone. “What does that mean?”

“It means that we’re from a culture that stresses earth pony superiority. My dad moved us from Halihoof to Equestria because he wanted us to have a good opportunity to live better lives than the ones we had back Halihoof. After we used up our supplies and made it here, we had to look for ways to make Equestrian bits since Halihoof ran pretty much entirely on a bartering system. So, seeking the most well-paying job available to a pony without official documentation, I joined up with the guard. My parents got jobs doing construction work, which my mom is pleased with because she doesn’t really have to talk to other tribes different from her fellow earth pony coworkers.”

Golden hummed softly. “Interesting. So that explains your mom and dad, but how does that affect your choice of taking a promotion to captain?”

“It’s family politics.” I finally turned to make eye contact with Golden. “I just kept accepting the promotions I was getting because they paid me more and more, but my family’s more or less settled into society now. My dad thinks it’s good that I’m showing how great a Halihoof-born pony can be, but my mom thinks that I’m being influenced too much by the unicorns and pegasi, and that with each promotion I received, I related myself more and more to Equestrian unicorns, pegasi, and especially Princess Celestia.”

“I think… I think I understand.”

“Yeah, It’s just that I want to make my dad proud by reaching the top ranks, but not anger my mom. So I just…” I shrugged my shoulders. “I did what my did wanted me to do, and now we’re here.”

Golden nodded empathetically. “That’s a tough place to be caught between, but personally, I think listening to your dad was the right choice.”

I sighed, shaking my head. “I’ll see the effects of my choice the next time I talk to them.”

“Captain Cross!” My eyes shot over to the crowd. Squinting, I was able to pick out Twilight Velvet from the herd of guards. I smiled as she approached.

“Good morning, Duchess Velvet.” The mare tittered behind a hoof as her white cheeks went red.

“Wow. You are tall.” Stunned, I looked to the unicorn standing beside her. The blue stallion was average in stature, and despite this, he still had to look up at me. I hadn’t been expecting quite a reaction at this early in the day, but I recovered quickly enough.

Raising a brow, I coughed politely into a hoof. “So I am.”

“Nighty!” Velvet delivered a soft punch to the stallion’s side. “He’s a captain!” she hissed.

“It’s alright, Duchess Velvet.”

“Just call me Velvet, dear. Miss and Duchess make me feel old. Now then…” She poked the unicorn and looked at me. “Captain Cross, this is Night Light.”

“Hullo,” I waved.

“Uh, hello. Sorry about that.” After an exchange of hooves, Velvet nodded with a satisfied smile.

“I didn’t think there would be so many ponies,” Velvet commented, twirling around as she gestured to the guards all around us. “Do they all think they’re going?” she joked, but I felt the curiosity held up in her voice.

“Most of them, yes. About a hundred of them from the regiment are going to help the division get established in central Halihoof, and about fifty of them are just some hired workers here to start reparations.”

“Oh, I knew that, captain.” She tapped on her saddlebags. “I did the paperwork for all the meals and materials. What I meant was that I didn’t think there would be so many ponies helping with loading up for Halihoof.”

“There’s two-hundred-fifty ponies in my regiment, Velvet.”

Velvet thought that over for a moment. “That’s a lot of ponies for you to take care of, Captain Cross.”

“You can just call me Cross.”

She pursed her lips. “Cross,” she acquiesced, a firm nod and smile replacing the hard line.

“And yes, it is quite a few mouths to keep in line. Speaking of ponies…” I turned to Night Light. “You here to send your marefriend off?”

Surprisingly, Night Light shook his head. “I’m going,” he stated adamantly.

I gave him a warm smile. “Great.” He tilted his head in confusion, his proud stance dropping instantly.

“What, you’re not gonna tell me it’s too dangerous?”

“Nah, you should be fine.” He sighed a breath of relief. “There’s a hundred of us; no assassins’ll be able to get through. At least, they won’t be quick.”

Velvet’s eyes narrowed. “Cross…”

I chuckled nervously, the fur on the back of my neck bristling. “Just playing with you, Mister Light.”

“Haha, yeah… right.” An awkward silence fell over the group. Golden shuffled awkwardly in place, reminding me of her presence.

“This is Golden Forms, my assistant.” Her ears perked up in an instant, and she gave a small bow to Velvet.

“Hello, Duchess, Duke.”

I laughed as all three ponies around me went red. “A little fast to be implying that, Golden.”

“Sorry!” she squeaked.

“...Unless there are plans for that in the future.” My grin grew as the couple’s cheeks only grew brighter.

“C-Captain Cross!” Velvet shook her head violently. “Please!”

“Alright—” I sighed pleasantly, my lips settling into a grin “—I apologize for Golden and I’s behavior.” Huffing, Velvet nodded her head.

“Thank you.” I could still see the trace of a blush on her face as she pulled Night Light away. “Now, I’d love to talk, but I just dropped by to say hello and introduce you two. We still have a lot to check in on, don’t we Nighty?”

“Uh, no we—” Velvet kicked him in one of his hindlegs “—yeah we’ve gotta go check in on… stuff.”

“Alright, well you two have fun with that ‘stuff.’” Still smiling, I watched the two waddle off, the duo disappearing into the crowd moments later.

“That was a little mean, don’t you think?”

“It’s just banter, Golden. And don’t think that you’re free of judgement.” My tone turned teasing. “We don’t put ponies in the spotlight like that, okay Golden?”

Snorting, she rolled her eyes.“Sure.” She picked our two mugs up with her levitation. “I’m going to go put these back where I found them.”

“You do that.” I watched her go.

Just as the morning had began, I was left alone to my clipboard and my crate. The coffee had fully taken effect by now, and I knew that I had no chance of sleeping again until later. Sighing, I picked up my clipboard and looked around for something to do. Sleeping had been my option of choice, but with that out the window…

“Where is that train…” I muttered, squinting around me. “It should have been here ages ago…”

A booming stallion’s voice cut through the crowd. “Get off the tracks you idiots!” Watching with a little bit of apprehension and guilty pleasure, a black engine cut through the second line of the freight yard, grinding to a halt. The train was the longest chain I’d seen in my life, with thirty cars extending past the coal wagon and engine. Twenty green cars made up the living quarters, and ten took the familiar form of storage cars. Rolling my shoulders, I hoofed my clipboard off to the nearest lieutenant and walked over.

“No better way to kill time than by doing heavy lifting.” Clearing my throat, I looked around at the short ponies around me. “Load up!”

Author's Notes:

Next stop: Halihoof. But not before some train ride conversations.

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Division sizes are reduced in Equestria to fit with human counterparts.