Silk Shot whimpered in the corner, his mumbled pleas falling on deaf ears. She hadn't let up. Once she started there was no stopping her.

     "Please… just… shut up…" But it was futile; she was completely oblivious. After she had recounted how she had dropped the milk on her floor, she then explained that she needed to pick up more, which was when she had her sudden clarity and realized that she had to go see the princess and stop creating run on sentences.

     Far on the other side sat a hardened veteran, Noble Force. With his two-foot reinforced steel sword and lightweight but durable armor, he was ready to face down a hydra. He shuffled his wings a bit, and relaxed his sore primaries, still tired from yesterday's training session. His full title, Lieutenant Noble Force Quentin Jr. IV Esquire, was used only during honorary ceremonies. Oh, and there were tons.

     Medal of Honor for fighting off the changelings from a band of orphans, rescuing a mare from a raging inferno, allowing Celestia to use him as a body pillo- *cough cough… AHEM* A body pillory, in which he restrained a madpony for four days and four nights. Indeed.

     In fact, he was so amazing that he was hoof picked… by a teenage mare on a scavenger hunt.

     Force's head clunked on the side of the air carriage. He then lifted his snout into the air, and let it go into the wooden framework again. Repeat process, yadda yadda yadda.

     By the time Silk Shot's Twilight induced headache ended, Noble Force's self-induced one had reached its climax as well.

     They were now in Ponyville, and the purple mare was nowhere in sight. The Lieutenant straightened up and swiveled his head to and fro. The Private merely shook on the floor of the carriage.

     "We must find Lady Sparkle." Force intoned definitively, as if it was his place to define things by heavenly right. Private Shot, however, looked up at him as if he was the son of the Devil himself.

     "What?! And bring that seizure-inducing egghead back here?" Silk Shot sprang up. "No way in Tartarus."

     "That is a direct order Private. Don't you dare step out of line, or I'll tear off your head and defecate down your windpipe!" Force's nostrils flared as his wings expanded, showing off quite the impressive wingspan.

     "I am absolutely sure that I speak for what brain cells I have left when I say that that mare is dangerous!" Silk's eye twitched.

     "Insinuating that you had any to begin with…" Force smirked.

     "YOU WANNA FIGHT ABOUT IT, GEEZER?" This was especially insulting, as Force's age was a well-kept secret. The damned stallion had not seemed to age a day.

     The unicorn's horn sparked up, sending pale blue light streaking down his now-golden mane.

     "Little insubordinate prick!"

     Moments later…

     "Lift your snout up."

     Silk did so.

     "Higher."

     Silk complied. And immediately wished he hadn't.

    "Alright, is everypony ready?" Twilight smiled eagerly, glad to be on yet another adventure with her friends. Spike tightened the straps on his pack, and grinned eagerly.

     My first adventure with the Elements! EEEEEEEEEEEE-

     While Spike trembled in quiet excitement, Rarity concerned herself over Applejack's luggage.

     "Just one set of boots, dear? Not only is that bland and, well, let us say watery? But...  Is that even wise?" This was met with more bickering while Twilight checked off her list and nodded a few times. By the time she looked up, Rainbow Dash was restraining Applejack, in vain. And Rarity simply pouted with her snout in the air.

     "HEY!" The quarreling halted immediately. "Let's go, girls."

     "Ahem."

     "And dragon."

     "SQUEEEEEEEE!!!"

     Several minutes later, Twilight and company arrived at the sight of Silk Shot sprawled in the dirt, his mouth ajar, his mane in his eyes. Noble Force leaned against the side of the carriage, his helm pulled down over his eyes. Upon hearing the symphony of hoofsteps, he used a single hoof to prop up the helmet's face-mask.

     Underneath the golden mask a pair of sapphire eyes gleamed, with a smirk that made Fluttershy's knees, all four of them, wobbly. Rarity swooned near instantly, and Twilight couldn't tear her eyes away. Silence took them over until Shot killed the moment quite effectively.

     "Wwwwrrrrrrraaaaaaaggggghhhhhh…" He flipped over, clutching his jaw. "I feel like I got pimp-slapped with a dragon di-" His gaze stopped at the amalgamation of mares and the pint-size dragon before him. On cue, he snapped to attention. His salute was grand and a bit too forceful, causing his faceplate to slam shut, jarring his head and inducing a new migraine.

     On reaction, he shouted, his voice reverberating through his helm. "PRIVATE SILK SHOT, AT YOUR SERVICE!" The action made him feel more than a little queasy, but he persevered.  

     Twilight giggled. "At ease, Private."

     "THANK YOU MA'arrrllggh…" As Silk Shot's closing statement died with a rather strange elocution, Rainbow Dash's eyebrow rose.

     "You alright there, champ?" The rest leaned in to see what was the matter. Silk Shot nodded as fast as he could, even though his vision was marred due to last night's dinner. A stroke of luck he had missed breakfast.

     "A- are you sure? We're just a little, well worried is all. If- if that's OK with you…" Fluttershy meekly stated. Silk Shot shook his head and then nodded again. Don't drip, don't drip, don't drip!

     "Well alrighty there bucko, if'n ya say so yerself." Applejack tipped her hat and turned to Force. "Let's get ta gettin'!"

     As the others were distracted, Shot dashed around to the other side of the carriage. He quickly emptied his canteen into his helmet, washing out the filthied helm of his half-digested tulip casserole.

     The group piled into the sky carriage, eagerly awaiting their trip. Silk Shot scrambled in after them under the scornful gaze of Force. The two pegasi in the front spread their wings and took off, scattering autumn leaves.

     In the distance, a pair of bright yellow orbs watched them. The creature snarled and made haste to the south, the same direction as the carriage.

     Celestia's midday sun burned brightly above them all, providing comforting light to the peaceful land of Equestria.

     Six hours later…

     The sky carriage began to head down into the lightly wooded area around the Everfree, the two Sun Guards at the front slowing down for a soft landing. The landing was stuck and the passengers climbed out while each Airlock, for that was a carriage pegasus' title, disengaged themself from the carriage.

     The two royal pegasi stretched their pinions and went to unload their supplies, consisting of tent equipment and marshmallows, for one must always be prepared. A fire was started and the tents were set, and everypony got comfortable.

     "Now, as much as everypony wants to stay by the fire and tell ghost stories and roast marshmallows, we need sleep. We're going to be flying non-stop tomorrow morning, bright and early." Groans and complaints were heard from the group, but Lieutenant Force would hear none of it. "Now now, we need to be out of these areas soon, you hear?"

     "But Mr. Bigwings McMuscleypants! We can't go to bed without roasting some marshmallows!" Pinkie Pie bounded up to the iron-clad pegasus, who raised an eyebrow speculatively.

     "McMuscleypants? Ma'am, I hardly think it's nece-" But before he could speak out against the party pony, a flash of lights and fire and a small campfire was set up with sleeping bags and marshmallows already poised on sticks. Force's jaw didn't drop in time to fully gauge his reaction , as every single member of the party was already roasting marshmallows, even the rest of the guards.

     "We… uh… sir, we have no idea what we are doing or why we are doing it." The two Airlocks grinned sheepishly. "But… maybe we should just lay down and relax." The other piped up with more enthusiasm.

     "Wind Shear is right sir, this is a great time to just unwind and maybe share some stories." One Airlock grinned broadly, and the other nodded his head. Noble Force prepared to go into his trademarked tirade, but then saw the looks of the mares and the baby dragon. His expression softened and he sighed. "Fine…"

     Cheers and whoops echoed around them, and they began to recount previous adventures around the soft flames. Shadows danced and laughter bounded, their careless merriment sending harmless woodland critters to and fro. By the time their joviality was spent, they went to sleep in good spirits with sticky white goo in their stomachs and smiles on their faces.

     Just… forget about that last part… please?

A/N: Sticky white goo.

     This chapter went through so many edits because I didn't like the way Noble Force was coming out. And yes I am aware that the Mane 6 (and Spike) don't have much dialog, this will be amended in the next chapter. Be warned, it's a talking one. A LOT of talking. You've been warned.

     Oh, and reference (more like homage, amirite?) to Heartbreak Ridge. Because Clint Eastwood is a god. I AM THE IOTOLA OF ROCK 'N ROLLA. Oh, and I'm also very lazy and couldn't think of anything for that section. Sorry…

     20% human in the next chapter, I promise. Good night/day, or whatever time it is. Still need that editor, too.

Next Chapter: Chapter 3- Gak City Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 8 Minutes