The Captain strained to lift his eyelids as he regained consciousness. As he tried to move his legs, he found the task impossible. Finally succeeding in opening his eyes, he saw why. Large, iron chains bound the stallion to the ground, all four of his legs clamped together. He groaned. Had the battle really gone that badly?
"Ah, you are vith us vonce again, Herr Captain?" came a heavily-accented voice. The Captain shifted his head, searching for the source. Suddenly, an avian head entered his vision, a large scar across one eye and a diabolic grin across the beak. "So gut to see you alive. I vas vorried you vouldn't be around for ze vun part."
"And what does a sick, winged rat like you consider 'fun,' Baron Bloodwing?" the Captain grunted.
"I'm so glad you asked, Captain. You see, I am avare you vere vith Agent 65 bevore she met her... untimely end. I'm sure you know zat she vas carryink a list of all ze Equestrian agents currently hiding in ze Crystal Umpire. His Majesty would very much like to have zat list. I don't suppose you vould be villing to let me know where it is, vould you?
"I'd sooner die, griffon scum."
"I vas hopink you'd say zat, Captain. Old Hans has been vaitink for a gut meal."
The Captain's gaze turned to a large, iron gate across the torture chamber from his position. Slowly, the portal creaked open as a large, two-headed hydra emerged, its twin jaws slavering for pony flesh.
"I can call him off at any time, Captain. You only need to tell me vere ze list is. Othervise, Captain Justice dies today!"
"Will Captain Justice give up Agent 65's list to the sinister Baron Bloodwing? Can he escape the bloodthirsty hydra before he becomes its next meal? Come back next week to see the answers, loyal viewers, and witness the might of Captain Justice, Griffon-Smasher!"
As the curtain fell across the stage, the audience roared their approval at the latest episode. Colts, fillies, and their parents stamped their hooves and cheered all the louder as Captain Justice trotted once more onto the stage.
"Thank you, citizens! Thank you! This show wouldn't be possible without your support!" The costumed stallion raised a hoof, signaling the audience for silence. "And with your support, justice lives on. As I'm sure all of you are aware, this show is about more than Captain Justice or Baron Bloodwing. As we speak, Equestria's brave stallions fight the good fight against Sombra's crystal goons and their dirty griffon allies. They are the true defenders of justice and harmony. But they can't fight without our help. Equestria needs you, dear viewers, to win this war. Support our troops! Donate spare food to feed them, spare metal to arm and armor them, spare hooves to work with them! No colt or filly is too young to help! And you parents in the audience, recruitment centers are open in all cities and towns. Join the Equestrian Guard today, and let justice prevail!"
Another cheer came from the audience as Captain Justice bowed his head. After the Captain left the stage, the audience slowly filtered out of the theater. No one took notice of the slight pegasus mare sitting in the back, lingering a moment after the other ponies left. Sighing, she got up from her seat before trotting off.
"You just don't know when to quit, do you?"
Firefly turned to see a blue coated, red-maned earth pony stallion trotting up to her. The pink coated, blue-maned pegasus shook her head.
"It only took you two tries to join up, and I don't even have to lie about my age."
"True, but at least I look like I'm 25. You're the one they always think is lying."
"It shouldn't be this hard, Buck," Firefly sighed. "They keep saying they're willing to take anypony, but when somepony comes along who actually believes in what they're fighting for, they won't even give her a desk job."
"Firefly, there was a time not too long ago when you couldn't lift a stapler, let alone a spear," Buck replied. "And you don't have to actually join the Guard to help out."
"So you're saying I should just keep donating old cans? You're a guard. Tell me, do they actually make weapons or armor out of those things?"
"Well... no. But..."
"I'm sick of sitting on the sidelines, Buck. It's nearly been a year since this war started, and ponies are still dying."
"You can't help them by getting yourself killed, though." Buck placed a foreleg over Firefly's shoulder. "Trust me, I will do everything in my power to end the war. Just keep your chin up. One of these days, you're going to hear how Captain Barn Bucker's squadron kicked Sombra's sorry flank into the sea."
"It's a long way from Private to Captain, Buck."
"Give me time," Buck said as he trotted away.
Firefly sighed as she watched her friend go. "I'm sorry, Buck. I can't wait that long."
The unicorn massaged his forehead with a hoof as he looked over the papers in front of him.
"You do know that we're all part of the same army, right? I know about the other recruitment centers."
"I know," Firefly groaned. "But isn't there any position I can fill? I don't have to have a combat role. Anything will do."
"Miss Firefly, EVERY recruit has to pass a physical exam before they're accepted. And you've failed every one you've taken." The unicorn turned a frustrated gaze back to the papers in front of him. "Cloudsdale, Fillydelphia, Baltimare, even Trottingham, every center you've applied in has turned you down. You've got to take a hint, miss. Just because you're applying in Manehattan doesn't change the facts. You've had practically every disease known to exist, you have the physique of a fifteen year old; for the Princesses' sake, you were even dropped out of flight school because they thought you'd literally drop dead if you took the flight exam! I'm sorry, you're just not army material."
Firefly was silent for a long time as the recruitment officer's words sunk in. Finally, she managed to speak again. "There must be something... anything you can do."
"I am," the unicorn said, levitating a red stamp over the paper before slamming it down. "I'm saving your life."
Firefly took the paper without another word. She spared no glance to the word "Rejected" stamped upon it, still dripping with red ink. Turning, she walked out of the recruitment center, numb to the world around her. She barely noticed the griffon in front of her before she slammed straight into him.
"Oh! Sorry!" she stammered, scrambling to pick up the rejected application forms.
"It's quite alright, my dear. I was actually hoping to speak with you."
Firefly's ears perked up as she caught the faint hints of a griffon accent on the male voice. Slowly, she looked up, just noticing the griffon's species for the first time. The feathers on his avian half were white, while the fur on his feline half was light grey. His head resembled that of an owl.
"Me? What about?" Firefly asked hesitantly. The griffon didn't seem to be a threat; if anything, he had a kind, almost comforting air to him. Firefly couldn't help but be reminded of her grandfather looking at the old creature.
"I think I may be able to help you."
"So, you work with the Equestrian Guard?" Firefly asked as the old griffon led her into his office in the recruitment center.
"Surprised that a griffon is working with the pony military?" he chuckled. "I actually came to Equestria long before the Griffon Kingdom allied with the Crystal Empire. It's been my home for so many years, I couldn't help but protect it, even from my kin."
"Oh, no, I didn't mean anything like that," Firefly stammered. "You just seem a little... older than I was expecting from a guard."
"I'm not a guard, actually," the griffon said. "I'm a doctor. Doctor Erskine."
"Firefly," the pegasus said, extending a hoof. Erskine took and shook it.
"Charmed. I'm sorry for eavesdropping, but I overheard that your application to join the Guard was rejected?"
"Yeah, but you said you could help? How?"
"Before I answer, let me ask you a question. Why, exactly do you want to be a guard?"
Firefly thought long and hard before answering. "Well... I'm sure you heard about my... medical history." Erskine nodded, prompting Firefly to continue. "It seems like ever since I was born, I always had to rely on somepony else to do things for me. Feed me, keep me safe. I can barely fly on my own. My parents never seemed to mind, but as I got older, I felt that I needed to take responsibility for myself."
"Then the war broke out. One day, everything's fine. The next, Stalliongrad has been wiped out. No warning, no declaration of war, just... gone. I didn't lose any family in the attack, but I know folks who did. It was the first time I had seen anypony as helpless as I thought I was. And, well, I thought I had to do something. I had to do something to help them, just like others had always helped me."
"So you want to kill griffons and crystal troopers?"
"I don't want to kill anypony. I don't want to hurt anypony. I just don't want them to hurt anypony else. Doctor, I have been sitting at home, safe and surrounded by those who care about me, while everypony else is out there dying to keep me safe. And every time I try to help, I'm told, 'Don't worry, this isn't your fight. Let somepony else take care of it.' I've been waiting a year, doctor. How long do I have to keep waiting?"
Erskine scratched his forehead with a talon. "You know, I have family back in the Griffon Kingdom. They're not soldiers, and they don't support the war against Equestria. But when I told them that I was helping the guard, they asked me to stop. They're terrified that a spy could find out what I'm doing and kill me. They just want me to 'wait until this blows over.' But I know Sombra. I had colleagues that decided to work for him. And I know that he's not going to stop until Equestria is crushed. So I chose to do whatever I can to make sure that doesn't happen. I want to do what I can to see my family again."
"Miss Firefly, I have been working on a program to create better soldiers for the Equestrian Guard. I have a potion, a formula, based on old griffon alchemy, that I think may be able to enhance a pony's body, making them stronger, faster, and tougher than any other pony alive. If you're willing, I would like to give you that formula and make you not a soldier, but a super-soldier."
Firefly opened her mouth to reply, but Erskine raised his claw, motioning her to wait. "Before you say anything, I must warn you that you would be the first pony ever to receive this potion. It could work, but I don't know if it will. It could kill you, and it would be a painful, excruciating death. But if it does work, then I think you may be able to finally do something to help end this war."
Firefly was once again lost in thought as she walked through the streets of Manehattan underneath Luna's moon. Erskine had given her as much time as she needed to think over his proposal. And boy, did she need it. "Painful, excruciating death." Erskine certainly didn't sugar-coat it. If she agreed to this and the test failed, the consequences would be a lot graver than another rejected application.
But if it worked? If it worked, Firefly could finally make a difference. She would be one step closer to stopping Sombra. One step closer to bringing the troops home to their families. One step closer to avenging the victims of Stalliongrad.
One step closer to Erskine being able to see his family again.
"Well, look at you! You certainly look good in armor!"
A female voice broke Firefly out of her thoughts. She turned towards the source of the voice and caught sight of a guardspony with a unicorn mare outside a small bar.
"I know, right? Just got into the guard this afternoon, babe," the guard said to what Firefly guessed was his marefriend.
"I always did like stallions in uniform, but I never thought you'd look so sexy in one. So when do you ship out?"
"Not till tomorrow. Still have time for a little going-away party?"
"Do you have to ask? Anything for a guard!"
Something at Firefly's hoof drew her away from the conversation. Looking down, she saw a discarded newspaper had blown up to her in the wind. Picking it up, she looked over the headlines.
"Death Count Continues to Rise in Trottingham Bombings."
"Crystal Death-Camps: Do They Exist? An Escaped Slave Tells Her Story."
"Five Dead in Factory Blaze - Imperial Sabotage Suspected."
Dropping the paper, Firefly turned and trotted back to the recruitment center.