Fluttery

The sun shone through tan tent wall. The orange Pegasus mare slowly righted herself in the hospital bed. Her head throbbed and her mouth felt dry. With a shaky hoof she picked up a glass of water from the table beside her. She steadied it with her other hoof as she enthusiastically drank. She found a pitcher of the colorless liquid and downed cup after cup of water. After sating her thirst she turned and slowly tried standing. Ok, one hoof, two hoofs… At the third hoof she fell with a loud thud garnering the attention of the earth pony. She helped her up and sat her back down on the bed.

“You really shouldn’t push yourself. Take it slowly.” The mare grinned and picked up the pitcher that fell on the floor.

“What happened? Who are you?” The mare placed the pitcher on the table.

“I'm Nurse Redheart. I am the head nursing pony for The Equestrian Royal Army.” The nurse gracefully bowed and they both giggled.

“Well why am I here Nurse Redheart? I was gathering firewood with Blueblood!” The nurse put a hoof on her shoulder.

“He’s fine. Actually if it weren’t for him you might be dead… He carried you here from the woods. You had a heatstroke and severe dehydration. I'm actually surprised you woke up today. It’s only been about a day. Most ponies either sleep or pretend to sleep. I feel kind of bad when I have to kick the fake injured and sickly out…” She lamented at the thought and helped fluttery to her hooves.

“Hmm, well thank you Nurse. I'm going to go find Blueblood and thank him!”

“Ok dear. Just don’t push yourself and try to drink more water.”

“I will thanks! Good luck!” The nurse smiled and waved at the now exiting Fluttery.

Fluttery was astonished at how quickly the camp grew in one day. A field of tents scattered across the once barren clearing. She wondered through the sea of pitched cloth. She walked by a considerably larger tent compared to the rest. The slit to enter flapped in the gentle breeze allowing her a glimpse at Shining Armor reading at a table. She knocked on the tent. Realizing that the tent was not going to make a solid sound she knocked her hoof against the side of a support. Shining Armor opened the flap, he was the apple of every mare’s eye. Perfectly chiseled jaw, pearly white teeth, gorgeous mane, and the perfect mix of muscle, definition, and coat! He truly was a catch fitting for the Princess of Love.

“Yes? Come in, I’m not busy.” He gestured inside.

“Uh, that’s fine. I just wanted to know where the troop tents are.” She gulped nervously and quickly saluted.

“At ease, the troop tents are right behind you… all one hundred and something… Looking for anything more specific?” He raised an eyebrow and gave a small grin.

“Well I'm looking for my friend. Prince Blueblood?”

“Ah, yeah Blueblood was with your group right? The first ones here yeah? I think your tents were pitched down that way.” He pointed toward a cluster of tents.

“Ok thanks! Uh… I mean, thank you sir!” She saluted again and went rigid.

“Calm down, it is only formal conversation. Good work on scouting ahead by the way. Make sure to tell the rest of your troop that.”

“Ok!” She quickly hugged Shining and trotted off toward the cluster of tents. Hah! Told you I could touch Shining! I can’t wait to see the look on your face Light Dasher. She snickered to herself upon reaching her destination.

The cluster of tents turned out to be two enlarged tents and several personal tents in an oval shape around two central campfires. The sun cast a bright glare off of a spear that lay against a box of weaponry. The two large tents contained sparring circles and training equipment. Why they needed more training was uncertain but it was here. She walked around the oval, peering into the tents individually.

“Nope, nope, nope, that’s not him… uh uh... nope, nope, oh hi Barry! Nope, nope…~”

After checking and rechecking the tents her savior could not be found anywhere. She contented herself with sitting in an empty tent and staring at Star Grazer jab air with a spear. I’ll just wait for him to come here. He has to sleep sometime… I have to sleep sometime… why am I so tired? Oh yeah! Heatstroke… gotta ‘ stay awake, its only midday, stay up stay up. Her head slammed against the ground and loud snoring immediately followed.

Star Grazer

Star Grazer wiped sweat from his brow. He had trained and practiced nonstop since the sun rose. Ever since the attack on the cart he has felt weak and vulnerable. well no more! I will be strong! Brave! Valiant! A true prince to my sweet cherry princess! A gladiator in the arena of love! A true visionary in the quest to romance!~

Star Grazer fantasized his dream of saving the damsel in distress for a few minutes before taking of notice of the loud soring coming from across the way. He looked over and saw fluttery taking an obnoxiously loud nap. He shook his head and chuckled returning the spear to a box of weaponry nearby.

Star Grazer walked through the camp aimlessly. He walked by some ponies setting up a game of prodder. They swapped tales about home and the mares that waited for them. A few minutes go by and everypony went all in. It seemed Star Grazer’s quiet and cool demeanor was suspicious. Thirty five bits and a silver pocket watch lay in the pot. Star Grazer stared at the pot then all the ponies. He put in ten bits. His eyes darted from side to side as each one placed down their cards. He held his cards close to him and sighed, placing the cards down.

Star Grazer’s pockets jingled with the extra money. He let out an unmasculine giggle as he stared at the detailed design of the pocket watch. It was an antiquity. A true piece of pre-equestrian work, it was created by the Earth pony faction before the unity under the reign of Celestia and Luna. The carving on the face was the depiction of the first farmers in Equestria. The carving was well intact and was buffed to a brilliant sheen. That one pony sure did lose out on a treasure! He let out another squee of joy before returning the watch to his vest pocket.

He walked by another group of ponies playing prodder. He considered winning their stuff as well before a fast moving object captured his attention. A cream colored blur soared a few hooves above the ground and speed by him. He heard a mashed up “Hi Star Grazer!” before the blur disappeared past a bend of tents. What the hay was that? He shrugged and continued his idle walking.

The rest of the evening was spent winning prodder games and meeting new ponies. This is just like home! Only I'm earning money for it! he managed his way back to the tents and supplies that his group had set up. By then it was about around sunset and all the ponies were either in their makeshift beds or distracting themselves. Star Grazer, out of pure amusement, called everyone attention. They begrudgingly got up and ordered themselves in front of him.

“Alright it’s been a bit of a lazy day for us so to prevent Shining from coming at me, we will be doing hoof jumps.” They all groaned and all got into an open stance. “On my mark, ready, Go!”

They all lifted their front hooves and pushed down against the ground lifting their back hooves. Then they slammed down their back hooves keeping the opposite hoof set in the air. They repeated this exercise for about five minutes.

“All right that’s good! Thanks for that. Now get some rest were gonna’ need it for tomorrow.” They simply grumbled and returned to their activities. Ahehehe they are going to hate me by the end of this war…

Blueblood

Blueblood was furious. He stomped through the camp looking for Shining Armors tent. He reached the tent in time to catch Shining Armor walk in. He stomped up to the stallion. Shining turned to see the raging blueblood come up to him. His smiled turned to a frown as Blueblood walked past Shining into the tent. Shining sighed and followed him in.

“I’m guessing there is a problem?”

“You think?”

“Just because you are a princess does not gain you special rights! I'm your commanding General and will be treated as such!” Shining opened a drawer and rummaged through its contents.

“Humph! I hardly think your fitting of that title!” Shining went still. Slowly turning to face Blueblood, he placed a box gently beside him.

“Really now, why is that?” He said through gritted teeth.

“Seeing as one pony went through the entire camp and scamming ponies in prodder, a crazy mare was doing stunts and flybys all day, the whole fiasco with that one mare and the heat-stoke or whatever, and the whole camp basically did nothing at all today! It seems to me you are hardly fit to run an army!” Shining Armor pondered his statement. He then turned around, picking up the box and handing it to Blueblood.

“What is this?”

“it’s your prize, Blueblood.”

“What? My prize… what? Why did I win a prize?”

“You are changing. Talk to Star Grazer.” Shining Smiled

“What? I’m so confused…” The floor began to melt and Blueblood started sinking in.  He panicked and burst out of the tent. He stopped dead at what he saw waiting for him outside.

A tall unicorn stallion stood resolute and strong. His slightly graying clean cut beard made his only more masculine in identity. A length of blonde mane waved in the breeze of now empty grass field. Blueblood took a step forward. The stallion’s eyes snapped toward Blueblood. He coward I fear at the menacing glare that this father figure gave him. He turned around and ran away.

He ran and ran into a black nothingness. the world around him melted away and was replaced by memories, memories he long cast aside. A specific memory came into view all around him. He was at Canterlot castle. He heard screaming ponies and saw guards fighting griffons. Only the griffins had pony faces. No, the griffons were actually ponies, the guards were killing ponies! He saw a guard fly back against a wall. He ran over to him, blood gushed from the three claw marks on his side. The guard begged Blueblood for help. Blueblood stared at the guards face. It was a face of terror, of fear, of weakness. He begged for help. Blueblood picked up the spear at his feet, lifted it to the air, and looked down at the guard once more. He plunged the spear into the guard. A splatter of blood flew from the spear wound. Blueblood looked at the guards face again. It was his face.

Blueblood woke up in a cold sweat. He checked his body, then ran outside of whatever enclosure he was in. the bold campfire was reduced to small embers surrounded in ash. Light Dasher was sleeping soundly across from the fire. He looked into each of the tents. Everypony was soundly sleeping. He ran over to Shining Armor’s tent. He hesitated before but burst through the flap. Shining Armor quickly got up from his cot, pointing a spear to Blueblood. Shining Blinked and lowered the spear.

“What the actual fuck Blueblood?” Shining Armor leaned against the cot and folded his hooves.

“I… I had a bad dream…” Silence filled the tent as Shining Armor processed what Blueblood said.

“You scared me out of bed, and nearly got stabbed, because you had a bad dream? You know what? Don’t answer that. You caused enough trouble today or… yesterday.”

“Wait, what happened?”

“I'm guessing you forgot already? You yelled at Star Grazer for playing prodder with the other ponies, you distracted Light Dasher when she was moving clouds to hide our position, Fluttery had to return to the infirmary because you refused to talk to her. She followed you almost the entire day. You didn’t even show up when I called all troops for briefing!”

“Oh… I…”

“You what, being your normal self? Yeah you are! Why did you even bother joining the army?”

“I had made a promise to somepony…”

“Get out of my sight! You disgust me! When the sun rises you will report to the north lookout point, alone!”

“Yes Shining.”

“Excuse me?! That is SIR to you!”

“Yes sir…”

Next Chapter: Oh Captain, My Captain... Estimated time remaining: 40 Minutes