Surviving the Academy

by MeadowRosePony

Day One

The Royal Guard Academy 07:55

Shining Armor set down his bags with a grin. 'This is it' He thought, looking around him in wonder, 'I'm finally here'

"Oof" He gasped as his musings were cut short by his little sister tackle hugging him.

"I'm gonna miss you, Shining!" She cried, holding onto his back leg.

"I'll miss you too, Twily" Shining Armor said as he levitated her in front of him and wrapped her in a hug. "But we'll see each other every weekend." He smiled at her before smirking and tickling her tummy.

"Eek!" She cried, giggling as she struggled to get away from the dreaded tickle monster. After a few moments of silliness, she pulled back with an adorably serious expression on her little face. "Promise you'll write?" She asked.

"I promise" He replied, equally as serious. Then he smiled and pulled her into another hug.

"You be careful, okay Shining Armor?" Twilight Velvet said, wrapping both her children in a hug.

"Do us proud, son" Night Light added, joining his family in their group hug.

"Air, air!" Gasped Twilight, struggling under the three larger ponies. They all burst out laughing as they broke off their hug, allowing oxygen to reach the slightly blue filly.

"I'll be careful, Mom. I'll make you proud, Dad." Shining Armor said.

Suddenly, a blare of a bugle resounded across the court yard, calling all the new recruits to report to the front gates, and signaling the time for civilians to leave. He gave his family one last hug before rushing to join the other recruits at the gate.

"I promise" he muttered under his breathe as he turned to wave one last time.

---

The Royal Guard Academy 07:55

Silver Shield looked around him at the other recruits and their families. Everypony was either laughing or crying as they said good bye to their loved ones. Silver Shield sighed, shaking his head. That was no way for a Royal Guard to act. Even a Royal Guard in training. He was going to buck up and make his mother proud.

Besides, he'd already said his good byes. His friends had seen him off at the station and he'd said farewell to his mother that morning before he left. It hadn't exactly been a tearful farewell, but he hadn't expected one. His mother wasn't one for emotional displays. He was still shocked over her speech when he had gotten the acceptance letter.

Suddenly, the sound of a bugle interrupted his thoughts. He double-checked his bags, straightened up and headed towards the front gates.

It was time to make his mother proud.

---

The Royal Guard Academy 07:55

"Now ya make sure ya get enough to eat, ya hear. It won't do for ya to pass out on yer first day, now" Cherry Jubilee rambled on, giving last minute instructions to her little cousin.

"Yes, ma'am" Cherry Fizzy said with a smile, Cherry Jubilee may be over-protective, but he was used to it. After all, she'd practically raised him.

"But don't go eatin' too many pears! They'll give ya a tummy ache" She continued.

"Yes, ma'am" Cherry Fizzy repeated. 'She'd been talking nonstop since they left the farm. She had to run out of advice sooner or later' He thought to himself as she kept talking.

"And don't forget to wash behind yer ears, ya always miss that"

"Yes, ma'am" It was a good thing everypony else was busy with their own good byes. This was getting embarrassing.

"And if ya get to feelin' a mite homesick, ya just go on ahead and send yer folks a letter. We'll come right on down ta give ya some country lovin"

"I will, Jubilee"

Cherry Jubilee took a breathe to continue her counsel, but was interrupted by Cherry Fizzy giving her a hug.

"I'll be fine, honest" He said with a grin. "Trust me"

"Oh my," she said through happy tears, "looks like little Fizzy is growing up"

Cherry Fizzy heaved a silent sigh of relief. He didn't know how much more advice he could handle.

Suddenly, they were interrupted by a bugle ring out across the court yard.

"I gotta go, Cuz" Cherry fizzy said as he broke off their hug.

"Alright," Jubilee said, letting go "you just take care of yerself, ya hear"

"I will" With that he gave his straps a quick tug to make sure they were secure and rushed off to join the other recruits at the gate.

"Cherry Fizzy!" Cherry Jubilee's shout caused him to look behind him. "Don't forget to write!"

"I won't!" He shouted back as he rushed to the gate.

---

The Royal Guard Academy 07:59

"WooHoo!" Bronzewing shouted as he caught sight of the Academy grounds. He'd gotten a little distracted by the sights (and may have overslept a little from the celebration party he and the fellas had before he left) and was running (or in his case flying) a bit late. He swooped down for a landing just as he heard the bugle call.

'Uh oh' He thought, 'don't wanna be late on the first day!' Tucking his wings in, he dived down to the grounds. 'Too fast!' He thought as he desperately flared out his wings in an attempt to slow himself down.
CRASH

He collided with three other recruits (at least he hoped they were recruits, he'd once crashed into his dad's boss. Luckily the bosspony had a sense of humor and had laughed off being used as landing pad for a young colt. Somehow he didn't think drill sergeants felt the same way about new recruits)

"Augh..." one of the ponies groaned. (It was hard to tell who when they were all in a pile)

"What in tarnation was that?!" A tan earth pony with a brown mane asked, rubbing his side where a hoof had collided with him.

"A rogue pegasus, that's what that was." The blue unicorn with a grey mane said with a groan as he pushed off a saddlebag that had landed on his head.

Slowly and carefully, so as not to hurt anypony(at least, not hurt anypony more than he already had) Bronzewing extricated himself from the tangle of limbs and saddlebags. With practiced ease, he reached into the pile and helped the other ponies up.

"Hehe, sorry about that guys. I was running a bit late and I guess I wasn't looking were I was going." Bronzewing said nervously before picking up a saddlebag and holding it out. 'Please, please, please don't be somepony important that's going to make my life miserable' He begged silently.

"You guys all okay?" A white unicorn with a blue mane asked the group as he took his saddlebag and levitated it onto his back.

"Never been better!" Bronzewing responded, brushing some dust off his wing. "That was awesome!"(truthfully, it hurt. But it was important to make a good impression after crashing into somepony you don't know)

The blue unicorn glared at him before saying, "Well it feels like I've been hit by a pegasus going 40 mph, but I'll live"

Bronzewing gulped nervously. 'He's going to make my life miserable, isn't he?' He thought. (He'd never really learned how to make the proper first impression)

The tan one picked up his saddlebag, and started chuckling. "Nothing a good night's sleep won't fix. Trust me, I've had worse tumbles"

"Just need a quick jog to stretch the muscles, and you'll be good as new" The white unicorn added, joining the laughter.

'Well, two outta three's not bad' Bronzewing thought as he held out a hoof. "The name's Bronzewing, what's yours?" he asked.

"Howdy, I'm Cherry Fizzy" the tan earth pony said, shaking his hoof.

"I'm Shining Armor, nice to meet you" The white unicorn said, shaking Bronzewing's and Cherry Fizzy's hooves.

They all looked expectantly at the remaining unicorn.

He sighed, giving his strap a last tug before facing the group. "Silver Shield, a pleasure"

The four stallions turned to walk towards the gate when they suddenly stopped. In font of them was the meanest, toughest looking pony they had ever seen.

"I'm so glad you four have decided to join us." He started.

They all shrank back, looking guiltily at each other and the deserted field around them. While they had been sorting themselves out, everypony else had already made it inside. They smiled sheepishly at the surly looking stallion in front of them.

He smile back, (which was somehow more terrifying then his glare had been) and said "As a welcoming gift, you four get the privilege of KP Duty for the next month. Report to the commissary at 04:00 hours."

Their smiles faded as they fought the urge to groan. Unfortunately for all of them, Bronzewing choose that moment to demonstrate his limited knowledge of military terms.

"What's KP Duty?" he asked as the other three did groan.

"You'll find out tomorrow" the pony said, "and since it looks like you'll need some extra help, you four have just earned another month." He smiled at the dejected faces and the pointed glares at their companion.

Bronzewing opened his mouth to protest, only for Silver Shield and Cherry Fizzy to kick him on either side as Shining Armor stepped in front of him.

"Yes, sir" Shining Armor stated.

"NOW YOU GET YOUR LAZY FLANKS TO ASSEMBLY BEFORE I HAVE YOU DOING PUSHUPS TILL THE SUN FREEZES OVER!" They shrank back in terror. "NOW!" He screamed at them when they didn't immediately move. They took off galloping towards the assembly hall.

He permitted himself a soft chuckle as he watched them go. "That never gets old" He said under his breathe.

Thoughtfully he turned towards consignment office. 'I think I'll keep my eyes on those four."