Clare, in front of royal castle:

“And I’m telling you that Luna herself wants to see me” I told the guard but he was still reluctant to allow me to enter the castle. “Sorry sir, strict orders, no one is allowed in the castle after 7:30” the guard told me. ‘Then why the hell would Luna give me a meeting at 8?’ I asked myself.

A stallion in royal guard armour stepped forward and both the guards saluted him as they allowed him to pass. “Hey wait a minute!” I blurted out and the stallion turned back with a raised eyebrow. “You guys just said no one is allowed in the building after 7:30” I argued and the stallion who had walked past them chuckled.

“Listen, uhh whoever you are. I’m Captain Shining Armor” he told me and I rolled my eyes. “Hey, give him some respect, he’s the commander of all guards in the field of combat” one of the guards told me in a deep tone. “Okay then, Shining since you’re the captain then Celestia probably told you that I was coming, so tell these guys to let me past” I said and Shining Armor thought for a moment.

“Alright let him past, but you’re coming with me” he ordered, I stepped past the guards and walked up to his side as he led me through the front doors. “Did Celestia really call you for a meeting?” Shining asked and I shook my head, “No her sister, Luna, did. Guess she figures I’m some really special soldier or something” I informed him and he nodded.

We approached a large set of doors and the guards in front of the doors saluted Shining Armor as we entered the massive throne room. Celestia was sitting on her throne at the other end of the room. As we walked towards her I got the feeling that I was late, either that or Celestia already didn’t like me.

Shining Armor bowed down in front of her and I stood in proper posture and gave her a salute. “You’re early… Luna will be with us in a moment, she is just raising the moon. Tell me Captain, how was your mission?” Celestia asked and Shining stood up and answered her “Mission was a complete success ma’am, the criminals surrendered and we captured the weapons shipment” Shining Armor informed her and she nodded.

Luna entered the throne room and trotted up to her sister’s side. “We’ll leave you two alone” Celestia said and both she and Shining Armor trotted out of the throne room. Though most ponies stood shorter than me, Luna and Celestia stood almost my height. “Mr. Clare, we have a proposition for you if you’d care to hear it” she offered and I nodded. “Our sister does not want you for the royal guard but we would like to know if you would like to join our special unit, the shadow guards?” she asked and I nodded, “Yes ma’am” I replied. She smirked, “You agreed to this very easily and you don’t even know what the tasks are” she told me.

“Permission to speak freely ma’am?” I asked and she nodded, “Ma’am with all due respect I live for honour, to serve and to protect. When I was unable to re-enlist in my military because of my injuries I was referred here. So I’ll take just about anything you have as long as it’s military related” I told her.

She nodded, “It is military but it is far different than anything you had back on earth. The shadow guards are our elite force, when something arises that needs to be handled with extreme prejudice it is done by the shadow guard” she informed me. “It can even be as extreme as facing an Ursa major” she warned and I nodded, “Ma’am, you give the order and I’ll execute it to my dying breath” I told her, she smiled.

“Well in that case, let’s suit you up with some equipment” she said and led me out of the throne room. “So tell us Clare, what tasks did you have in the military back on your world?” she asked as we walked down the long hallways of the castle. “I killed people that threatened peace” I said bluntly, most people would say ‘I was a peacekeeper’ but that wasn’t how I saw it, peacekeeping isn’t shooting people who stand against us, peacekeeping is diplomatic solutions. But it didn’t bother me in the least, I kind of liked ‘peacekeeping’.

“Oh… are you at all traumatized by it?” she asked and I shook my head, “No ma’am” I replied bluntly, she slid her horn into a hole in a door and the door opened, revealing an armoury. I entered the room and my jaw dropped, there was literally every kind of hand held weapon that ever existed, along with armour but screw the armour I wanted a gun.

“I think we’ll have to get Ms. Rarity to make you a combat uniform later but for now you’ll just have to wear what you have” Luna told me as I browsed through the selection of weapons. “Do you see any you like?” she asked and as a matter of fact I did.

I grabbed an M1928 Thompson sub machinegun from the rack of guns. “Oh yeah… this will work” I said as I racked back the charging bolt. The gun felt like it was brand new, actually come to think of it the gun probably was brand new. I grabbed a saddle harness and attached it around my waist, then grabbed some 50 round drum magazines and slipped them into the waist satchels.

I smiled as I attached a fully loaded drum magazine into the gun and slung it across my back. I was about to leave when I spotted a gem of a pistol, well actually it was a revolver. I was struck in awe from its pure beauty as I picked it out of the gun rack and held it in my hands. The S&W 500 magnum, the most powerful handgun on earth and probably in Equestria as well. I grabbed a box of .500 magnum rounds and slipped them into the waist satchels. I slipped on a chest harness and slid the revolver into the shoulder holster and looked to Luna and nodded.

“Well… Mr. Clare it is time to show you your post. Follow me” she said and led me out of the armoury.

As we walked down the hallways she looked to me. “Clare… if we asked you to perform any task, would you do it without hesitation?” she asked and I nodded. “It is my duty and I will perform my tasks to my dying breath ma’am” I replied and she stopped and I looked to her.

“This conversation never leaves us” she said and I nodded. “If we ask you to do something you will do it, even if that includes killing a pony” she told me and I nodded. “Yes ma’am, I understand” I said and she smiled. “Good. Congratulations Clare, you just made Sergeant”