The Canterlot gardens pristine hedging could be seen from the balcony he stood on. He sipped on his zap apple juice as he stared out into the starry night sky, as beautiful as ever. Probably the most beautiful thing he ever saw. Someone within the opulent building had coed for him to return inside. He turned around to find an old graying mare in a mauve dress that over accentuated her flank waving to him. As he walked closer to the elderly pony, the strong smell of perfume burned his eyes and nose. After years of attending and hosting parties one would think he would be used to this! The old mare simply smiled and gestured for him to return to the indoors. He did not wish to return inside however. He wanted to return to the moon. The quiet Canterlot gardens and the crisp cool air of the capital of Equestria. He did not wish to go back to the pungent smell of perfume, cologne and wine. The pony gestured to him again when she realized he was still outside.

He walked inside the ballroom. It was spectacularly lit and many colorful decorations hung from the ceiling. The room was a mass of colorful suits, dresses, and hats. He began to walk through it. Staying true to his routinely habit for parties, he simply mingled with ponies as he made his way through the large crowd in a half circle. He ended up a few feet away from where he originally entered the crowd and simply walked back to the balcony. He stood there and looked up at the starry night sky and the giant white circle that is the moon. The night was just so quiet and peaceful. It was moments like these that made him feel like the life he led meant something. His moment was only broken by a sudden movement behind him. He turned around to find a rather large tuft of brow feathers in front of him. He remembered a yellow claw slap him and throw him across the balcony.

It was calming. This sensation he felt. It was surreal. He felt even more at ease then he did looking at the moon. What was this feeling? Why did it end so soon? Why was he on the ground in a daze? And who was calling his name?

“Blueblood?  Blueblood! Wake up! I know you can hear me!”

Prince Blueblood mumbled as he rolled over in the bed. A flat wall of pain rolled over him and he immediately perked up only to find more pain and, strangely enough, soreness. He looked around. He was inside a cobblestone room. The Canterlot Royal Seal hung from the walls and beds were lined up beside him to his left.

“Good you’re awake! For a second there I thought I killed you…” The mare to his right was smiling and chuckling to herself as she leaned against the small end table.

He looked over to see Shining Armor switching his gaze between himself and Light Dasher. That’s her name right? Light Dasher? Ugh… What idiots she must have for parents to name her that! The look Shining Armor kept giving the two of them was all too familiar to him. It was a look of disapproval and resentment. A look that he hoped to never give his child if he ever became a father.

“So please explain to me something. How is it that you two acquired such skills hmm?” Shining Armors gaze landed on him. The question did take him by surprise. Light Dasher shifted slightly and cleared her throat.

“Well I learned spear fighting when I had made particularly fast friends with an ex guard. We had a little thing going on at the time. He was a cute little colt. He was from Las Pegasus! He also had this really cute flank that woul-” She blushed and looked away as Shining Armor took in this information, slightly blushing himself.

“very well. How about you?” Shining Armor adjusted himself on whatever he was sitting on.

“I don’t know… this maniac mare attacked me and I simply reacted. I never learned how to fight. It’s so… barbaric!” he said the last word with particular disdain. Shining Armor was taken aback by this but quickly regained his composure.

“Fine but listen ok. You two are fellow protectors of Equestria. If we begin to fight each other before fighting the enemy, we will be destroyed before we even get in the fight! I don’t want another incident like this to happen again. If it does I will be sure to tell the ponies down in the sewage wing to take a break. Do you understand?” He glared at them both as they nodded their heads in confirmation. “I said. Do you UNDERSTAND?”

“SIR YES SIR!” They managed to say that in near unison. Much to the pleasure of Shining Armor. He quickly stood up and walked out the wooden door, slamming it shut with his magic. A thick silence filled the air as they waited for the clop of his footsteps fade away.

“huh. Well all righty. Hey sorry for going off on ya’! I'm competitive and well… you were being a snob and a show off!” She chuckled and began to walk toward the door when she heard the sound of cloth moving.

“Me? Being snobby? Showing off? I'm Prince Blueblood! I will not tolerate being talked to in such a degenerate and offensive manner!” He began walking up toward her before feeling a stinging sensation across his face. She had slapped him. “Now you dare hit an injured colt?! I shall have you thrown in the Canterlot dungeons! You will rot in those shack-“ Another slap to the face quieted his rant. “Why YOU!” He quickly stopped himself as she raised her hoof to slap him again.

“Good. Now then, you can stop being an uptight little filly and get back to training!” She tilted her head to the side and smiled. She won. Now she is rubbing it in his face.

“Yeah… so if you are done slapping my friend, can we go Light Dasher? Dinner is almost over and they are serving MLP sandwiches today!” They both jumped at the sudden intrusion of the third pony propped comfortably on a pillow with a book. They both were wondering how he had been there. “You coming? Or am I eating alone?!” He chuckled as he put the book in his mouth pretending to eat it.

Light Dasher laughed and flayed her wings in response. “Just one sec, this pony here is your friend? Wow! I didn’t know fillies could have friends!” Blueblood attempted to hide his anger with a smile as he nodded his head. “All right then! Let’s go grab something to eat!”

And so the trio began their training together. Blueblood often clashed with Light Dasher and Star Grazer would always have to break it up. The trio, though possessing differences, were inseparable. Training quickly flew by and before anypony knew it Shining Armor announced the mobilization date to be tomorrow.

“Hey Blue?” Prince Blueblood was fiddling with the strap to his chest armor, this gear check was annoying him.

“Yes Star?”

“Why did you join the guard… or, well army?” Star Grazer walked up to him and began to tighten the strap Blueblood was fiddling with.

“Star Grazer… We have known each other since we were little fillies but in all honesty I don’t want to talk about it…:

“But it’s not like you! No offense, but you are definitely the type to sacrifice your life for another…” Star Grazer’s words stung him.

Blueblood vividly remembers that day. It seemed so distant yet it was as fresh in his mind as when it happened. The guards face as he begged him to stay. The way his eyes looked. The guards curse as he ran away. The griffins around him and the same guard he left for dead. It was all too fresh and painful for him to recall. He almost let loose a tear when Light Dasher came over to him. She placed a hoof on his back and patted it gently.

“Ah Twinkle! Leave Widdle Pwince Blueblood alone! He doesn’t wanna' talk about it!” She laughed at the look they both gave her.

“I told you not to call me twinkle! Just call me Star!” He pouted before breaking out in a fit of laughter as well. Laughter must have been contagious because soon after the three of them were on the cobblestone floor laughing at what seemed to be nothing.

The Next Day

Mobilization began today and the trio of ponies walked up to the large forming crowd of soon to be soldiers. Shining Armor was on a pedestal on a make shift stage. Speakers were set to each side of him and three large boxes stood next to him. The equipment that had previously occupied the yard had been moved and the yard strangely enough looked cleaner. After days possibly weeks of being trampled on the grass turned to dust. Yet they were standing on soft luscious grass. Shining Armor cleared his throat.

“The past few days, possibly weeks, for you have been hard and grueling. You have worked, sweated, even bled together. Now you are going to be doing the same thing. This time it’s not for a simple hoof bump. Not so that you will have to scrub the sewage drains. No… It’s for your fellow ponies. The people around you have become your friends. You all have formed bonds with each other that should never be broken. The Greyhens have attacked our glorious city. They have threatened our princess! If this angers you stomp your hoofs!” Very few stomp their hoofs. Shining Armor continued. “They have threatened your friends! Your family! I don’t know about you but that enrages me!” A large group began to stomp their hoofs. Shining Armor sighed hoping he didn’t have to pull this card to get them all motivated. “Worst of all, if the griffins win this war, NOPONY will PAY YOU!” With this the entire crowd was in an uproar.

The microphone was turned off and Shining Armor waited for the roar to die down. He used his sergeant voice for the last time.

”ATTENTION!”

HUT!

COMPANY MOVE OUT!

SIR YES SIR!

Next Chapter: Light Dasher: The Killer Mare! Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 10 Minutes